The Ikangas’ only capital was hard work, focus
Feb 15, 2009
I dreamt about the President’s visit a year before it came to pass. When I told my friends, they laughed it off,†says Zubair Ikanga. In April 2008, President Yoweri Museveni, who was spreading the prosperity-for-all gospel in Busoga region, visited
By Joshua Kato
Fact File
Name: Zubair and Mwajuma Ikanga
Name of farm: Ikamu Farm
Location: Busente village, Bukongo sub-county, Luuka county, Iganga district
Size of the farm: 35 acres
Enterprises: Dairy cattle, poultry, goat keeping, fish farming, fruits and food crop growing
How he started:Grew vegetables, kept a few chicken
How he markets produce: To consumers in nearby trading centres. He sells to Iganga, Jinja and Kamuli towns
Winning formula: He realised that this was his job. Became focused and worked hard
Farmer’s contact: 0772971107
I dreamt about the President’s visit a year before it came to pass. When I told my friends, they laughed it off,†says Zubair Ikanga. In April 2008, President Yoweri Museveni, who was spreading the prosperity-for-all gospel in Busoga region, visited Ikanga’s farm.
There is no guessing why, among the many farms in the area, the President chose to visit Ikanga’s. When you branch off from the Kaliro-Buwenge Road, to Busente village, after Bukongo Trading Centre, you might think you are in the traditional cattle-keeping region of western Uganda.
Driving through narrow roads, shadowed by plant fences, your eyes feed on meticulously-kept grazing land. On it, several cows, most of them hybrids, are grazing.
There are three farms in Busente village, all modelled on the western Uganda style of cattle-keeping. One of these is Ikamu Farm, owned by Ikanga. On top of over 40 hybrid cows, he also has over 2,000 layer chicken, goats and a fish pond.
Ikanga is a former policeman who retired in 1979 after the overthrow of Idi Amin. “When I retired, I went back to my village, Namaganda in Bugabula, Kamuli district and started growing vegetables,†he says.
He grew cabbage, potatoes and nakati, but did not earn much money. “I did not retire with any money. The only capital I had was my personal labour,†he says.
However, his neighbours did not like him. “They claimed I was harassing them because I was a policeman, but it was not true,†he says. This attitude forced him to leave his village and settle in Iganga.
Ikanga had always dreamt of starting a big farm. He saw his future in commercial agriculture. In 1989, he bought some land and started the farm on three acres.
He started it with his wife, Mwajuma Ikanga. Then, it was a small, ordinary farm. Now, it sits on over 35 acres of land.
When they started the farm, the Ikangas only kept chicken. “We had only 200 chicken,†he recalls. These were kept in an old chicken house, a two-room building that still stands today.
They also hired land and started growing sugarcane. “Gradually, I bought more land when the people around me agreed to sell. But it was expensive because of the scarcity of land in Busoga,†he says.
At the moment, there are three other chicken houses and over 2,000 chicken, which produce between 60 and 80 egg trays daily.
The eggs are transported on the family pick-up truck to customers in Iganga and Jinja and each tray goes for sh4,500. The Ikangas earn at least sh270,000 from eggs daily, before deducting operational expenses.
But all is not rosy. “The prices of chicken feed are so high, that sometimes we make losses,†says Mwajuma. The chicken are fed on cotton cake, mukene (silver fish) and maize bran.
A kilo of maize bran has risen to over sh500 from sh150 a year ago. “Many chicken farmers have abandoned their businesses because of the prices. We are still in it because we like chicken,†she explains.
When the President visited the farm, he promised assistance, especially with transportation at the farm. “I take the chicken feeds for mixing in the town, but I do not have transport to bring the feeds to the farm,†Ikanga says.
Expansion
As the farm grew, the Ikangas decided to start another enterprise. “We realised that agriculture paid, so we decided to experiment,†Mwajuma says.
Using proceeds from the chicken business, they acquired more land and bought their first cow. “We started with one local breed cow, before we bought hybrids,†Ikanga explains.
From one cow in 1990, the herd has now grown to over 40 adult heifers. The numbers would have been higher if Ikanga did not sell some.
Milk production is low, at 60 litres per day, because of the recent dry spell. “The cows do not have enough to eat and drink,†explains Mwajuma.
However, whatever is produced is sold to the nearby trading centre and in Iganga town, 32km away. The family earns at least sh25,000 from the milk daily; sh750,000 every month.
The future
Ikanga says lack of space has affected expansion plans for the farm. “The animals do not have enough grass to eat, due to lack of space. I have to sell them off regularly because they cannot graze here.†The farm also has goats, mainly hybrids.
According to Ikanga, he is trying out goat-keeping to see how profitable it can be. However, Ikanga has problems transporting grass to feed the livestock. “I rent land and grow elephant grass for the animals, but transporting it to the farm is a challenge,†he says.
When bird flu attacked poultry across the world in 2004, Ikanga branched into fish farming. “I feared that my chicken would die so I planned a fallback position,†he says.
A 50-by-50 metre pond is in the final stages of completion and will soon be ready for stocking. “We shall have tilapia and cat-fish for a start,†Ikanga says, adding that they hope to sell the fish in the nearby trading centres.
Apart from livestock, the farm has a two-acre mango orchard. Ikanga says the orchard earns him over sh10m every year.
The family also grows food crops; every season, they grow maize on an average five acres. “We harvest several sacks, some of which we sell to schools in the area,†Mwajuma says.
Benefits
Ikamu Farm may belong to the Ikanga family, but its multiplier effect goes beyond the boundaries of the home. According to Ikanga, many people come to learn from the farm.
“I also provide employment to many people, both directly and indirectly,†he says. Some are workers on the farm, while others sell his products such as eggs. At the moment, he is planning to expand it further, by hiring more land.
Success in agriculture is possible
Ikanga succeeded in an area where so many people have failed. This he attributes to hard work and focus.
“I always supervise my workers, to make sure there is proper accountability,†he says. He says keeping proper records has helped him to keep track of transactions.
From three acres to 35, from 200 chicken to 2,000 and from one local cow to 40 hybrids, Ikanga’s journey is worth learning from. “The President’s visit was the peak of my achievements. It was a dream come true,†he concludes.
If you know 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
Fact File
Name: Zubair and Mwajuma Ikanga
Name of farm: Ikamu Farm
Location: Busente village, Bukongo sub-county, Luuka county, Iganga district
Size of the farm: 35 acres
Enterprises: Dairy cattle, poultry, goat keeping, fish farming, fruits and food crop growing
How he started:Grew vegetables, kept a few chicken
How he markets produce: To consumers in nearby trading centres. He sells to Iganga, Jinja and Kamuli towns
Winning formula: He realised that this was his job. Became focused and worked hard
Farmer’s contact: 0772971107
I dreamt about the President’s visit a year before it came to pass. When I told my friends, they laughed it off,†says Zubair Ikanga. In April 2008, President Yoweri Museveni, who was spreading the prosperity-for-all gospel in Busoga region, visited Ikanga’s farm.
There is no guessing why, among the many farms in the area, the President chose to visit Ikanga’s. When you branch off from the Kaliro-Buwenge Road, to Busente village, after Bukongo Trading Centre, you might think you are in the traditional cattle-keeping region of western Uganda.
Driving through narrow roads, shadowed by plant fences, your eyes feed on meticulously-kept grazing land. On it, several cows, most of them hybrids, are grazing.
There are three farms in Busente village, all modelled on the western Uganda style of cattle-keeping. One of these is Ikamu Farm, owned by Ikanga. On top of over 40 hybrid cows, he also has over 2,000 layer chicken, goats and a fish pond.
Ikanga is a former policeman who retired in 1979 after the overthrow of Idi Amin. “When I retired, I went back to my village, Namaganda in Bugabula, Kamuli district and started growing vegetables,†he says.
He grew cabbage, potatoes and nakati, but did not earn much money. “I did not retire with any money. The only capital I had was my personal labour,†he says.
However, his neighbours did not like him. “They claimed I was harassing them because I was a policeman, but it was not true,†he says. This attitude forced him to leave his village and settle in Iganga.
Ikanga had always dreamt of starting a big farm. He saw his future in commercial agriculture. In 1989, he bought some land and started the farm on three acres.
He started it with his wife, Mwajuma Ikanga. Then, it was a small, ordinary farm. Now, it sits on over 35 acres of land.
When they started the farm, the Ikangas only kept chicken. “We had only 200 chicken,†he recalls. These were kept in an old chicken house, a two-room building that still stands today.
They also hired land and started growing sugarcane. “Gradually, I bought more land when the people around me agreed to sell. But it was expensive because of the scarcity of land in Busoga,†he says.
At the moment, there are three other chicken houses and over 2,000 chicken, which produce between 60 and 80 egg trays daily.
The eggs are transported on the family pick-up truck to customers in Iganga and Jinja and each tray goes for sh4,500. The Ikangas earn at least sh270,000 from eggs daily, before deducting operational expenses.
But all is not rosy. “The prices of chicken feed are so high, that sometimes we make losses,†says Mwajuma. The chicken are fed on cotton cake, mukene (silver fish) and maize bran.
A kilo of maize bran has risen to over sh500 from sh150 a year ago. “Many chicken farmers have abandoned their businesses because of the prices. We are still in it because we like chicken,†she explains.
When the President visited the farm, he promised assistance, especially with transportation at the farm. “I take the chicken feeds for mixing in the town, but I do not have transport to bring the feeds to the farm,†Ikanga says.
Expansion
As the farm grew, the Ikangas decided to start another enterprise. “We realised that agriculture paid, so we decided to experiment,†Mwajuma says.
Using proceeds from the chicken business, they acquired more land and bought their first cow. “We started with one local breed cow, before we bought hybrids,†Ikanga explains.
From one cow in 1990, the herd has now grown to over 40 adult heifers. The numbers would have been higher if Ikanga did not sell some.
Milk production is low, at 60 litres per day, because of the recent dry spell. “The cows do not have enough to eat and drink,†explains Mwajuma.
However, whatever is produced is sold to the nearby trading centre and in Iganga town, 32km away. The family earns at least sh25,000 from the milk daily; sh750,000 every month.
The future
Ikanga says lack of space has affected expansion plans for the farm. “The animals do not have enough grass to eat, due to lack of space. I have to sell them off regularly because they cannot graze here.†The farm also has goats, mainly hybrids.
According to Ikanga, he is trying out goat-keeping to see how profitable it can be. However, Ikanga has problems transporting grass to feed the livestock. “I rent land and grow elephant grass for the animals, but transporting it to the farm is a challenge,†he says.
When bird flu attacked poultry across the world in 2004, Ikanga branched into fish farming. “I feared that my chicken would die so I planned a fallback position,†he says.
A 50-by-50 metre pond is in the final stages of completion and will soon be ready for stocking. “We shall have tilapia and cat-fish for a start,†Ikanga says, adding that they hope to sell the fish in the nearby trading centres.
Apart from livestock, the farm has a two-acre mango orchard. Ikanga says the orchard earns him over sh10m every year.
The family also grows food crops; every season, they grow maize on an average five acres. “We harvest several sacks, some of which we sell to schools in the area,†Mwajuma says.
Benefits
Ikamu Farm may belong to the Ikanga family, but its multiplier effect goes beyond the boundaries of the home. According to Ikanga, many people come to learn from the farm.
“I also provide employment to many people, both directly and indirectly,†he says. Some are workers on the farm, while others sell his products such as eggs. At the moment, he is planning to expand it further, by hiring more land.
Success in agriculture is possible
Ikanga succeeded in an area where so many people have failed. This he attributes to hard work and focus.
“I always supervise my workers, to make sure there is proper accountability,†he says. He says keeping proper records has helped him to keep track of transactions.
From three acres to 35, from 200 chicken to 2,000 and from one local cow to 40 hybrids, Ikanga’s journey is worth learning from. “The President’s visit was the peak of my achievements. It was a dream come true,†he concludes.
If you know 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