Model farmer boosted by President's grant

By Saudha Nakandha

Ndimukika Afani ventured into farming with little knowledge of the practice.

But down the road he realized the secret of seriously taking on farming. Little did he know that he would become a model Matooke farmer in Jinja District.  He has now achieved his dream through farming.

How he started

Ndimukika graduated from Wairaka technical Institute as an engineer. He was lucky to hook a job with the Ministry of Works in 1960 which he lost shortly after independence as the political scape changed.

He then ventured into farming.

Ndimukika in his banana plantanation and his eucalyptus forest

Ndimukika then used his savings from his previous job to acquire more land on which started farming.

He currently has 1200 Banana plantations (200 of these being Gonja plantations), coffee and mango trees.

Ndimukika started rearing cattle, an initiative he picked from President Museveni's advice when he visited his farm

"When the President came to my farm, he was grateful for the work I do serving as a model farmer for my community. He gave me sh5m which I invested in the initiatives," he says

Group work way to go

Ndimukika is one of those farmers who believe in community liaison in achieving agricultural development.

So in 2008, Ndimukika together with other residents in (Budondo) formed an association of 20 people which they coined
"Alinyikira" farmers Group to help them get access loans in effort to beef up farming.

His achievements

For Ndimukika it was an achievement to be rewarded with sh5m by the President.

"I still cannot believe that the President came to my place and he was happy with what I was doing. This was like a dream come true" he says

From his reward given to him by the President he has been able to buy cattle, built part of the cattle house and bought a grass chopper which he was commanded to do.

He has also managed to build houses and acquire more land where he carries out the farming.