Tinka’s cash cow is doodo, the despised vegetable
May 31, 2011
<b>My Way: Rose Tinka<br>Tinka is one of the successful doodo farmers taking part in a production and utilisation sensitisation campaign.</b>
BY JOHN KASOZI
My Way: Rose Tinka
Tinka is one of the successful doodo farmers taking part in a production and utilisation sensitisation campaign.
ROSE Tinka’s life has not been the same since she started growing grain amaranth (doodo). She is now referred to as “the human encyclopedia on grain amaranth†because of her vast knowledge about the crop. She ventured into the project five years ago in Kabaganda village in Kamuli district.
For Tinka, taking up grain amaranth was a big leap of faith. “When grain amaranth was first introduced in the district, it did not occur to me it would one day become a financial redeemer to many of us,†Tinka recalls her first impression of the crop that has today become the financial mainstay of her farm.
Tinka started growing amaranth five years ago. “I started with quarter an acre but now I plant at least one acre every season. I mainly grow the Cream (white) variety, which I prefer to the Golden variety. On average, I harvest 200kg of grain every season,†she says.
Tinka is one of the successful grain amaranth farmers who are taking part in the Grain Amaranth Production and Utilisation Sensitisation campaign, aimed at getting more Ugandans to appreciate the easy-to-grow and yet highly nutritious crop.
Tinka believes everyone with access to land should have at least a small garden of grain amaranth, as it is crucial for food security, family health and can also be a good source of income.
Traditionally in many parts of Uganda, amaranth was mainly grown for its leaves, which were considered a preserve of poor people who could not afford meat. That tradition is, however, changing as Ugandans begin to appreciate the importance of vegetables in their diet.
Grain amaranth growing was first introduced in Kamuli district in 2005 by Volunteer Efforts for Developments Concerns (VEDCO.)
The crop was specifically introduced to help fight child malnutrition which was rampart in the area, and boost the immune system of expectant mothers, the elderly, people living with HIV/AIDS and those suffering from other diseases.
With time the crop was introduced to other districts including Luweero, Nakaseke, Mukono, Wakiso and Buikwe.
Currently VEDCO is carrying out a grain amaranths value addition project in Nakasongola district in partnership with Makerere University.
In Tinka’s home district Kamuli, there are currently about 250 farmers organised in 10 groups, each farmer growing at least one acre of grain amaranth.
Achievements
Tinka has plenty to show for the five years she has spent growing grain amaranth. Besides the noticeable improvement in her family’s health, as a result of regular consumption of grain amaranth in various forms, Tinka has put up a four-bedroom family house and is also paying school fees for her four children using earnings from the crop. “I have attracted and inspired a number of farmers, who have started growing grain amaranth after realising that it was a very effective health supplement. I first give them some amaranth flour to feed their sick children. When the children recover, the parents always come back asking for grain amaranth seeds. The strategy has earned me lots of friends and money, †reveals Tinka, who sells each kilogram of amaranth flour at sh2,000. The crop is grown twice in a season which means Tinka earns sh800,000 in one season and sh1.6m in a year.
Challenges
One of the challenges facing Tinka and other farmers who have taken up grain amaranth growing on a commercial scale is maintaining quality of their harvest.
“We lose about 10% of our grain to rats,†she says.
Delayed payment is another challenge that farmers sometimes have to face.
The average Ugandan still regards amaranth as an inferior vegetable meant for poor people.
It will take time before they begin to appreciate the nutritional value of amaranth.
With a dependable irrigation system in place, it is possible to have more than four amaranth harvests in a year, on the same plot of land, however very few farmers can afford to irrigate.
Health benefits
Grain amaranth is a high nutritional value crop. It has the potential to contribute to nutritional needs of vulnerable people because of its high quality protein content, essential fatty acids and micronutrients. Zimbabwe and Mexico were able to fight malnutrition using amaranths.
“The crop is a cheap protein source 14% to 16% and well-balanced. The locals consume it with other crops like millet, maize soya, groundnuts and beans. It is also used for seasoning stews,†says Benon Musasizi, VEDCO nutritionist.
People in different districts claim that eating grain amaranth increases appetite and promotes fast healing of mouth sores and herpes zoster, and weight gain for people living with HIV/AIDS. Amaranth has also been associated with higher milk production among breast feeding mothers.
Compared to other grains, amaranth seeds have a higher mineral content of calcium, magnesium, iron and amino acid Lysine than wheat, maize or barley. Amino acid composition of amaranth is favourable in comparison with other crops.
Amaranth seeds are also high in potassium, zinc, Vitamin B and E depending on the variety. Amaranth leaves contain three times more calcium and three times more niacin (vitamin B3) than spinach leaves and seven times more iron than lettuce.
Amaranth leaves are an excellent source of carotene, iron, calcium, protein, vitamin C and trace elements. Amaranth seed contains between 12%and 15% crude protein.
Ecological requirements; grain amaranth tolerates a wide range of soil conditions in most tropical but does best in soils with good water holding capacity not water logged soils. It does well were soils are rich in calcium.
“The crop can tolerate varying temperature from 16oC to 35oC. Optimal growth occurs at 22oC to 30oC. Normally the hotter, the better it grows,†said Ronald Byamukama, the VEDCO project coordinator.
Varieties
There are two main varieties of grain amaranth in Uganda; Golden (A.hypochondriacus) and Cream (white) (A.caudatus) short. Farmers differentiate them by seed colour. Grain amaranth performs better when planted in rows. Space permits weeding to control weeds and free movement. Amaranth requires a fine, loose seedbed which can be farmed to provide small seeds with good soil contact.
Land preparation should be done in January to March before the long rain season and August to September before the short rain season.
Planting
It is important to plant clean, high quality seed at the rate of half a kilogram to one kilogram per acre. Some farmers prefer to broadcast the seeds after mixing it with fine loam soil or sand or fine wood ash and afterwards rake them into the soil. To be effective, they need to use one kilogram of amaranth in six kilograms of mixing material. However, it is difficult to weed or thin grain amaranth that was sown using the broadcast system.
When planting in rows, the recommended spacing is 23cm to 30cm between plants and 60cm to 75cm between rows. Seed germination occurs in three to five days depending on soil moisture and planting method. The germination rate is usually 98% if the seeds are good. Amaranth seeds are available from individual farmers, although commercial seed dealers are yet to start stocking them.
Weed control is critical to obtain a good plant stand and to avoid contaminating the grain with weed seed during harvest.
Harvesting
A delay in harvesting leads to sprouting especially if there are high temperatures and moisture. Dew should be avoided during the harvesting. It leads to sprouting. If left too long in the field much of the grain may shatter and fall to the ground.
Golden and cream varieties mature in 45 to 60 days and 70 to 120 days respectively. To find out whether the grain is mature, cut the head bunch slightly below the end of the stem (inflorescence) at a slanting angle using a sharp knife. Next, put the heads together and spread them on a tarpaulin or polythene sheet to dry. When dry, the seeds are removed from the heads and winnowed to remove chaff. The bunch heads can be hit using a stick coming off easily. It can also be easy to crash them between hand palms if the bunches are few.
Grain amaranth is affected by the same diseases and pests that affect other leafy vegetable crops. Insects and birds also target the crop, although their effect on yields is usually negligible. Some grain amaranth varieties can produce over 100,000 seeds per plant. Because of the short period it takes to mature, the crop can be grown twice in one rainy season.
My Way: Rose Tinka
Tinka is one of the successful doodo farmers taking part in a production and utilisation sensitisation campaign.
ROSE Tinka’s life has not been the same since she started growing grain amaranth (doodo). She is now referred to as “the human encyclopedia on grain amaranth†because of her vast knowledge about the crop. She ventured into the project five years ago in Kabaganda village in Kamuli district.
For Tinka, taking up grain amaranth was a big leap of faith. “When grain amaranth was first introduced in the district, it did not occur to me it would one day become a financial redeemer to many of us,†Tinka recalls her first impression of the crop that has today become the financial mainstay of her farm.
Tinka started growing amaranth five years ago. “I started with quarter an acre but now I plant at least one acre every season. I mainly grow the Cream (white) variety, which I prefer to the Golden variety. On average, I harvest 200kg of grain every season,†she says.
Tinka is one of the successful grain amaranth farmers who are taking part in the Grain Amaranth Production and Utilisation Sensitisation campaign, aimed at getting more Ugandans to appreciate the easy-to-grow and yet highly nutritious crop.
Tinka believes everyone with access to land should have at least a small garden of grain amaranth, as it is crucial for food security, family health and can also be a good source of income.
Traditionally in many parts of Uganda, amaranth was mainly grown for its leaves, which were considered a preserve of poor people who could not afford meat. That tradition is, however, changing as Ugandans begin to appreciate the importance of vegetables in their diet.
Grain amaranth growing was first introduced in Kamuli district in 2005 by Volunteer Efforts for Developments Concerns (VEDCO.)
The crop was specifically introduced to help fight child malnutrition which was rampart in the area, and boost the immune system of expectant mothers, the elderly, people living with HIV/AIDS and those suffering from other diseases.
With time the crop was introduced to other districts including Luweero, Nakaseke, Mukono, Wakiso and Buikwe.
Currently VEDCO is carrying out a grain amaranths value addition project in Nakasongola district in partnership with Makerere University.
In Tinka’s home district Kamuli, there are currently about 250 farmers organised in 10 groups, each farmer growing at least one acre of grain amaranth.
Achievements
Tinka has plenty to show for the five years she has spent growing grain amaranth. Besides the noticeable improvement in her family’s health, as a result of regular consumption of grain amaranth in various forms, Tinka has put up a four-bedroom family house and is also paying school fees for her four children using earnings from the crop. “I have attracted and inspired a number of farmers, who have started growing grain amaranth after realising that it was a very effective health supplement. I first give them some amaranth flour to feed their sick children. When the children recover, the parents always come back asking for grain amaranth seeds. The strategy has earned me lots of friends and money, †reveals Tinka, who sells each kilogram of amaranth flour at sh2,000. The crop is grown twice in a season which means Tinka earns sh800,000 in one season and sh1.6m in a year.
Challenges
One of the challenges facing Tinka and other farmers who have taken up grain amaranth growing on a commercial scale is maintaining quality of their harvest.
“We lose about 10% of our grain to rats,†she says.
Delayed payment is another challenge that farmers sometimes have to face.
The average Ugandan still regards amaranth as an inferior vegetable meant for poor people.
It will take time before they begin to appreciate the nutritional value of amaranth.
With a dependable irrigation system in place, it is possible to have more than four amaranth harvests in a year, on the same plot of land, however very few farmers can afford to irrigate.
Health benefits
Grain amaranth is a high nutritional value crop. It has the potential to contribute to nutritional needs of vulnerable people because of its high quality protein content, essential fatty acids and micronutrients. Zimbabwe and Mexico were able to fight malnutrition using amaranths.
“The crop is a cheap protein source 14% to 16% and well-balanced. The locals consume it with other crops like millet, maize soya, groundnuts and beans. It is also used for seasoning stews,†says Benon Musasizi, VEDCO nutritionist.
People in different districts claim that eating grain amaranth increases appetite and promotes fast healing of mouth sores and herpes zoster, and weight gain for people living with HIV/AIDS. Amaranth has also been associated with higher milk production among breast feeding mothers.
Compared to other grains, amaranth seeds have a higher mineral content of calcium, magnesium, iron and amino acid Lysine than wheat, maize or barley. Amino acid composition of amaranth is favourable in comparison with other crops.
Amaranth seeds are also high in potassium, zinc, Vitamin B and E depending on the variety. Amaranth leaves contain three times more calcium and three times more niacin (vitamin B3) than spinach leaves and seven times more iron than lettuce.
Amaranth leaves are an excellent source of carotene, iron, calcium, protein, vitamin C and trace elements. Amaranth seed contains between 12%and 15% crude protein.
Ecological requirements; grain amaranth tolerates a wide range of soil conditions in most tropical but does best in soils with good water holding capacity not water logged soils. It does well were soils are rich in calcium.
“The crop can tolerate varying temperature from 16oC to 35oC. Optimal growth occurs at 22oC to 30oC. Normally the hotter, the better it grows,†said Ronald Byamukama, the VEDCO project coordinator.
Varieties
There are two main varieties of grain amaranth in Uganda; Golden (A.hypochondriacus) and Cream (white) (A.caudatus) short. Farmers differentiate them by seed colour. Grain amaranth performs better when planted in rows. Space permits weeding to control weeds and free movement. Amaranth requires a fine, loose seedbed which can be farmed to provide small seeds with good soil contact.
Land preparation should be done in January to March before the long rain season and August to September before the short rain season.
Planting
It is important to plant clean, high quality seed at the rate of half a kilogram to one kilogram per acre. Some farmers prefer to broadcast the seeds after mixing it with fine loam soil or sand or fine wood ash and afterwards rake them into the soil. To be effective, they need to use one kilogram of amaranth in six kilograms of mixing material. However, it is difficult to weed or thin grain amaranth that was sown using the broadcast system.
When planting in rows, the recommended spacing is 23cm to 30cm between plants and 60cm to 75cm between rows. Seed germination occurs in three to five days depending on soil moisture and planting method. The germination rate is usually 98% if the seeds are good. Amaranth seeds are available from individual farmers, although commercial seed dealers are yet to start stocking them.
Weed control is critical to obtain a good plant stand and to avoid contaminating the grain with weed seed during harvest.
Harvesting
A delay in harvesting leads to sprouting especially if there are high temperatures and moisture. Dew should be avoided during the harvesting. It leads to sprouting. If left too long in the field much of the grain may shatter and fall to the ground.
Golden and cream varieties mature in 45 to 60 days and 70 to 120 days respectively. To find out whether the grain is mature, cut the head bunch slightly below the end of the stem (inflorescence) at a slanting angle using a sharp knife. Next, put the heads together and spread them on a tarpaulin or polythene sheet to dry. When dry, the seeds are removed from the heads and winnowed to remove chaff. The bunch heads can be hit using a stick coming off easily. It can also be easy to crash them between hand palms if the bunches are few.
Grain amaranth is affected by the same diseases and pests that affect other leafy vegetable crops. Insects and birds also target the crop, although their effect on yields is usually negligible. Some grain amaranth varieties can produce over 100,000 seeds per plant. Because of the short period it takes to mature, the crop can be grown twice in one rainy season.