Aloe vera provides new hope to Luwero farmers

By John Kasozi

They used to ridicule him that he was wasting time on a useless crop instead of minting money from crops like maize or cotton but not anymore. Hakim Kimbugwe, the envy of all who pass by his plantation is now the model as they passed by his plantation.

How he started

In March 2004 Hakim Kimbugwe, who is also the chairman of Kazinga Channel Aloe Vera Farmers Association, started growing aloe vera. By October that year, he had planted 800 seedlings, which he bought from Kampala at sh1,800 each.

“During that period, I managed to convince a number of people from western Uganda and the DR Congo to grow aloe vera.

“Ali Ssesanga, the head of the project then, took me on as a coordinator in Kasese, and in 2005, we reached out to 80 members,” says Kimbugwe. But currently, the association has 30 registered members, who hail from Kasese, Kanungu, Bushenyi and Kamwenge districts.

“Within a year, I had expanded my plantation to four acres. When Ssesanga paid me a visit, he was surprised at my progress,” Kimbugwe recalls.

When the aloe vera reached maturity, he harvested the flowers and sold each kilogram at farm gate price of sh1000 and sh200 per leaf. Every month between 2007 to 2008, Kimbugwe sent between 400kg to 600kg of aloe vera flowers to SSesanga.

Two years after the start of the project, the crop was ready for harvesting. Unfortunately, the initiators of the project never turned up, yet many farmers had embraced the project.

“This forced some farmers to start cutting down the plants, while others abandoned them in the bush with the hope that they would revive it one day,” he says.

Luwero Aloe Vera Promoters Uganda revives project

In 2008, Kimbugwe met Fred Kakuba, the manager of Luwero Aloe Vera Promoters Uganda Limited.

“Kakumba told me he was touched by the past failure of project leaders to set up a factory,” explains Kimbugwe.

He says Kakumba told him he was looking for potential investors in the Netherlands to set up a factory.

“Kakuba’s words re-energized my spirit,” Kimbugwe reminiscences.

“In 2009, he paid me a visit and was amazed at my 10-acre aloe vera plantation,” he adds.

To show his commitment, Kakuba revisited Kimbugwe in 2010 on numerous occasions.

However, not long after, calamity befell him: Some destructive people burnt down his plantation, but he did not lose hope.

“I was saddened, but I looked for money and rehabilitated three acres. By the end of 2011, I had seven acres. My task now is to convince farmers that the factory is under construction,” he says.

After negotiations, the investors acquired an industrial plot in Namanve industrial park and embarked on that construction of a sh11.2b (Euro 3m)- factory. The ultra-modern factory, with a perimeter wall, is complete.

Industrial processing capacity   

The initial processing capacity is going to be 10 metric tonnes in one week. After every six months, the capacity will increase by 10 tonnes. The full processing capacity is 75 tonnes per week.

“About 95% of the aloe juice will be exported to Europe to us in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, toiletries, toothpaste, food and drinks, pulps, tea leaves, jelly and jam industries. Then 5% will remain in Uganda for value addition,” says Kakuba.

The factory, the only one of its kind in Africa, will commence with 50 employees, but more will be taken up as it expands.

How to grow and harvest aloe vera

Aloe vera population per acre is 4,000 seedlings at a spacing is 3ftx3ft. Seedlings currently cost sh800 each in the local market.

Aloe Vera needs less water and can survive on saline soils but not in wetlands. The plant can survive in hot regions, but cannot tolerate the cold. Currently the best Aloe Vera plantations in the country are in Kanungu, Rukungiri, Kasese, Iganga, Kamuli and Rakai.

When harvesting, a farmer removes six to eight leaves per plant, per cutting. On average, each leaf can weigh between 1kg and 2kg. If six leaves are removed from 4,000 plants, a farmer will earn at least sh4.8m at sh200 per leaf.

Aloe Vera leaves are harvested every three months.

Kakuba says Aloe Vera leaves will be measured and farmers paid at their homes.

“Farmers with large plantations will be paid through the bank. Each of the 40 districts earmarked for Aloe Vera will have a coordinator,” he adds.

The plant is also commercially cultivated in southern Texas, USA.