Ocan injected sh13m in farming,expects sh50m yearly

Nov 16, 2011

ALEX Ocan was employed by World Vision as transport officer but he abandoned the lucrative job and ventured into farming activities to earn more.

By Patrick Okino and Bonney Odongo 

ALEX Ocan was employed by World Vision as transport officer but he abandoned the lucrative job and ventured into farming activities to earn more.

Popularly known as ‘Ojok Kea’, Ocan was getting a salary of sh1m but got inspired when President Yoweri Museveni visited a model farmer in Amach sub-county, Lira district in 2009 during the Prosperity for All tour.

With his saving of sh13m, Ocan started clearing bushes, digging halls and preparing manure and humus locally to fertilize the land.  

Bananas are part of Ocan's farm

 

Ocan, a resident of Ayira village in Barr su-county, utilized part of the money to procure citrus, banana suckers, set up beehives, pineapples, pines, rice farm, cotton and fish ponds.

“I got inspired and joined farming,” Ocan explained.

Broad, long, graceful and rapidly growing bananas provide a tropical look to Ocan`s environment.

Beehives sites were placed nearly 300 meters in bushes and near water sources to provide a conducive atmosphere for the insects to colonize.

He has 300 beehives, 60 of which are already colonized, 2,000 stems of pines, 2,000 stems of bananas, six hectares of rice, citrus and four hectares of cotton.

Ojok does not regret quitting his previous job since the benefits of his sweat are being seen now that harvesting is gradually picking up.

“This season I harvested 50 bags of rice but I still am expecting 80 more,” he said. A kilo of milled rice is sold at sh2,700.

Ocan left his World Vision job simply because he realized that there is money in farming as compared to any other businesses.

Besides other crops, Ocan has planted hectares of ginger which he sells at sh200,000 per bag.

During his tour of the area, President Museveni called upon Ugandans to engage in farming, saying his dream is to see every family earning sh20m annually.

But Ocan has confidently differed with the President because of the money he injected in the commercial farming.

In a year, he explained, I plan to get sh50m, some uncertainties and challenges put into consideration.

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Ocan is seen here checking out one of several of his beehives

Ocan has not started harvesting honey which is the heart of his project. A kilo of honey in the local market, especially Lira town goes at sh10,000.

“Harvest of honey will start in December because I have already acquired harvesting kits,” he added.

Officials from a university in South Africa visited Ocan`s farm early this year (2011) and impressed by the way different enterprises are arranged, they chose the farm to be a training center for progressive farmers.They promised to offer him sh10m per year.

Although he is progressing, Ocan still faces challenges of middlemen who buy his produce at a low price and sell in a good market. Besides, lacks weed-clearing machines and transport to take his products to the market.

Local thieves encroach on his field at night to steal honey, bananas, oranges and other products. But to curb this obstacle, Ocan owns two German Shephard dogs to play the sniper role at the farm.

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