Kasese UPDF turn the guns on maize growing

By Joshua Kato 

As you approach the landing patch at the 305 Brigade headquarters in Kasese, you are welcomed by a vast maize shamba looking like a giant soccer pitch. The shamba runs as far as the  eyes can see. The maize sits on over 650 hectares and it all belongs to soldiers of the 305 Brigade. 

The maize is at different stages of growth and every soldier in this brigade has got a share. 

“This is our Mogadishu,” a soldier says proudly, explaining that while many UPDF soldiers are deployed to Mogadishu to fight al-Shabaab, but also earn an extra dollar, soldiers here earn that extra shilling by growing and selling maize.

There are many success stories from the soldiers.

“From growing maize, many soldiers have constructed houses back home. Some  have bought cars and bikes, while others use their money to pay school fees for their children,” says Maj. Benson Sifuna, the 305 Brigade administrative officer. 

Sifuna says the average harvest per acre is 1.8 tonnes, which is fairly above the national average of 1.4 tonnes. The brigade’s average production is over 500 tonnes per season.

How it works
Every soldier who is interested in growing maize is allocated a plot of land between one to over 20 acres.  

“When a soldier is transferred to another unit, he hands over the piece of land to whoever is replacing him,” Sifuna explains. 

He adds that, however, under some circumstances the departing soldier may be allowed to use the land for at least another season. 

“He might have invested in the land the season before, but failed to get a good harvest. He is then allowed to use the plot for another season to recover his investment,” Sifuna adds. 

The soldiers oversee the preparation of land and the fields. 

Fertile soils
The soils in the area are fertile. This explains why although the soldiers have been growing maize on them for several years, they have remained productive, even without the application of fertilisers.  

The soldiers, however, use tractors hired from nearby Hima town and Kasese to prepare the land for cultivation. 

“For first ploughing, the tractor charges sh120,000 and for second ploughing it charges sh70,000,” Sifuna says. 

Most of the soldiers plant local maize varieties like the LONGE series. However, some of them plant hybrid varieties like Pannar from South Africa.

Compared to local varieties that take 110 days to mature, Pannar takes 80 days and is resistant to drought. 

The soldiers have got ready market for their produce. Traders in Kasese, Fort Portal and from the Democratic Republic of Congo come for the maize at the farm. 

“The current price is sh600 per kilogram of grain maize,” Sifuna says. This means that a soldier with four tonnes can earn at least sh3m.  

Sifuna says the biggest challenges they face include thieves and wild pigs, which eat the maize.

Farm institute
Through interventions like this one in Kasese, the army can become a major contributor to the national economy as stipulated in Article 209 of the Constitution. 

“We are still building capacity. However, we are contemplating turning this farm into an army farm institute,” says the Chief of Defence Forces, Gen. Aronda Nyakairima. 

He says the army is considering supporting the soldiers’ farm with an irrigation kit to ensure that they get good yields throughout the year.