Unable to pay school fees, Ngabirano opted out for coffee and poultry farming
Feb 08, 2009
BARE-chested men drenched in sweat hurriedly load trays of eggs on a waiting pick-up truck. Noise pierces through the air under the scorching sun. Sam Kasiima, a new worker, struggles to catch up with the pace. “I had never earned sh100,000.
Everyday for the next few months, The New Vision will run a series of stories on wealth creation role models across the country for Ugandans who would like to learn from them to generate wealth from natural resources.
FactFile:
Name of farmer: Denis Ngabirano
Location of farm: Kagogo,Rukungiri district
Distance from town:
1km off Rukungiri town
Enterprises: Chicken, maize milling machine, banana plantation and a coffee hulling machine.
How they started: Ngabirano dropped out of school in 1992 and ventured into small-scale tomato growing. Used the income of sh400,000 as his starting capital for a coffee hulling project
Estimated expenditure:,/b> Employs 25 workers each earning sh100,000 per month
Estimated earnings per year:
Sh35m from poultry and hulling machine
Contact:
0392947036
By Arthur Baguma
BARE-chested men drenched in sweat hurriedly load trays of eggs on a waiting pick-up truck. Noise pierces through the air under the scorching sun. Sam Kasiima, a new worker, struggles to catch up with the pace. “I had never earned sh100,000.
But for the last two months this dream came true,†he says. He is among the 25 workers earning sh100,000 per month doing casual work on a farm owned by Denis Ngabirano. The one-acre piece of land, is located in Kagogo, 1km out of Rukungiri town.
Ngabirano opted to engage in farming after he failed to raise school fees to advance to A’ Level. He is now a successful entrepreneur earning over sh35m annually from poultry and coffee hulling.
Near the entrance to his farm office, is a wooden table with files and a ragged wooden chair. On the wall behind the desk, hangs the portrait of President Yoweri Museveni.
Next to his office is an iron roof and metallic door enforced building in which a hulling machine is used to crunch off the husks from coffee beans. Another room in the same building is used as a poultry unit.
Ngabirano started off with 200 layers and has since expanded his stock to 4,500 layers and broilers. He exports some of his products to the Democratic Republic of Congo.
“It is a good idea to venture into poultry business,†Ngabirano advises. “I collect 53 trays of eggs everyday and hope to increase this to 80 trays.†He says a tray of eggs from his farm costs sh5,000. From coffee hulling, he earns sh100,000 everyday.
In a month, he earns sh3m from coffee hulling and sh8m from egg sales.
Ngabirano chose to settle in Rukungiri in 1992 to of establish a coffee business. However, he broke-even two years ago when he ventured into poultry farming.
“After my 0’ Level, I did not have money to continue with school. I decided to become a farmer,†Ngabirano says.
He started with a capital of sh400,000. This was savings from his previous business: tomato growing. “My farming business kicked off, when I decided to grow tomatoes on a small-scale in 1992,†the soft spoken, but assertive farmer says.
From this enterprise, he has raised school fees for his eight children. Two have joined university, while the other six are in secondary school.
His secret to success
Unlike some farming projects, poultry keeping is quite sensitive. Just a mere outbreak of disease can wipe out the entire stock.
“Apart from feeding, it is important to maintain a hygienic environment. Poor hygiene fails most people who venture into poultry farming,†Ngabirano says.
He attributes his success to the ready market for both chicken and coffee produce.
However, his ambitions far exceed these two ventures. He is involved in maize milling and supplies maize to schools in the region.
The challenge is to find avenues for increasing production to meet the increasing demand. “I need to increase production and find better means of transport to move my products to other markets,†he says.
When the President visited his farm late last year, he pledged a pick-up truck.
“I talked to the Resident District Commissioner and expect to get the truck soon,†Ngabirano says.
He advises farmers involved in poultry farming to invest in feeding, watering and lighting equipment which are cost-effective.
He says farmers should seek the services of veterinary doctors who will be able to inspect the farm at regular intervals and are easily approached during crisis.
He advises farmers to keep schedules for vaccinations and medication after consultation with a veterinary doctor. “You need to have financial strength to support your routine cycle and a back-up strategy,†he says.
He says a success story is written when you are able to market your product well. “You need to have total control of the market price by owning a marketing network.
Do regular market surveys to know the local demand for your product and the market price,†he says. He believes a person should produce what they can sell.
Future plans
He plans to stock the farm with an extra 10,000 birds. “Eggs have a ready market as long as the right means of transport is available,†he says.
If you know of anyone who has made money through an enterprising venture, nominate them for recognition in the ‘Ugandans making a
difference’ project.
Write to features@newvision.co.ug or send a fax to 0414232050
FactFile:
Name of farmer: Denis Ngabirano
Location of farm: Kagogo,Rukungiri district
Distance from town:
1km off Rukungiri town
Enterprises: Chicken, maize milling machine, banana plantation and a coffee hulling machine.
How they started: Ngabirano dropped out of school in 1992 and ventured into small-scale tomato growing. Used the income of sh400,000 as his starting capital for a coffee hulling project
Estimated expenditure:,/b> Employs 25 workers each earning sh100,000 per month
Estimated earnings per year:
Sh35m from poultry and hulling machine
Contact:
0392947036
By Arthur Baguma
BARE-chested men drenched in sweat hurriedly load trays of eggs on a waiting pick-up truck. Noise pierces through the air under the scorching sun. Sam Kasiima, a new worker, struggles to catch up with the pace. “I had never earned sh100,000.
But for the last two months this dream came true,†he says. He is among the 25 workers earning sh100,000 per month doing casual work on a farm owned by Denis Ngabirano. The one-acre piece of land, is located in Kagogo, 1km out of Rukungiri town.
Ngabirano opted to engage in farming after he failed to raise school fees to advance to A’ Level. He is now a successful entrepreneur earning over sh35m annually from poultry and coffee hulling.
Near the entrance to his farm office, is a wooden table with files and a ragged wooden chair. On the wall behind the desk, hangs the portrait of President Yoweri Museveni.
Next to his office is an iron roof and metallic door enforced building in which a hulling machine is used to crunch off the husks from coffee beans. Another room in the same building is used as a poultry unit.
Ngabirano started off with 200 layers and has since expanded his stock to 4,500 layers and broilers. He exports some of his products to the Democratic Republic of Congo.
“It is a good idea to venture into poultry business,†Ngabirano advises. “I collect 53 trays of eggs everyday and hope to increase this to 80 trays.†He says a tray of eggs from his farm costs sh5,000. From coffee hulling, he earns sh100,000 everyday.
In a month, he earns sh3m from coffee hulling and sh8m from egg sales.
Ngabirano chose to settle in Rukungiri in 1992 to of establish a coffee business. However, he broke-even two years ago when he ventured into poultry farming.
“After my 0’ Level, I did not have money to continue with school. I decided to become a farmer,†Ngabirano says.
He started with a capital of sh400,000. This was savings from his previous business: tomato growing. “My farming business kicked off, when I decided to grow tomatoes on a small-scale in 1992,†the soft spoken, but assertive farmer says.
From this enterprise, he has raised school fees for his eight children. Two have joined university, while the other six are in secondary school.
His secret to success
Unlike some farming projects, poultry keeping is quite sensitive. Just a mere outbreak of disease can wipe out the entire stock.
“Apart from feeding, it is important to maintain a hygienic environment. Poor hygiene fails most people who venture into poultry farming,†Ngabirano says.
He attributes his success to the ready market for both chicken and coffee produce.
However, his ambitions far exceed these two ventures. He is involved in maize milling and supplies maize to schools in the region.
The challenge is to find avenues for increasing production to meet the increasing demand. “I need to increase production and find better means of transport to move my products to other markets,†he says.
When the President visited his farm late last year, he pledged a pick-up truck.
“I talked to the Resident District Commissioner and expect to get the truck soon,†Ngabirano says.
He advises farmers involved in poultry farming to invest in feeding, watering and lighting equipment which are cost-effective.
He says farmers should seek the services of veterinary doctors who will be able to inspect the farm at regular intervals and are easily approached during crisis.
He advises farmers to keep schedules for vaccinations and medication after consultation with a veterinary doctor. “You need to have financial strength to support your routine cycle and a back-up strategy,†he says.
He says a success story is written when you are able to market your product well. “You need to have total control of the market price by owning a marketing network.
Do regular market surveys to know the local demand for your product and the market price,†he says. He believes a person should produce what they can sell.
Future plans
He plans to stock the farm with an extra 10,000 birds. “Eggs have a ready market as long as the right means of transport is available,†he says.
If you know of anyone who has made money through an enterprising venture, nominate them for recognition in the ‘Ugandans making a
difference’ project.
Write to features@newvision.co.ug or send a fax to 0414232050