Luwero farmers reap handsomely from yams

By Umar Nsubuga

In Luwero committed farmers can now harvest hundreds and thousands of shillings from yams, mostly grown in their backyard.  Most of the residents of Nabitalo, Namulonge and Kiwenda have started yam projects.

One such a farmer is George Kayongo, 79, of Kiwenda who is earning a lot of money.

“Kayongo realised that Kiwenda is among the areas with the highest number of stunted children due to poor feeding. I decided to engage in this venture so that I could also fight this problem of food”, Kayongo says.

Most areas of Namulonge, Nabitalo and Kiwenda are potential for yam growing. Kayongo says, yams are available all year round since there is always some one planting and another harvesting everyday.

Ready market

“People come from different parts of the country to buy my yams. I direct them to the garden to harvest as much as they want and then we negotiate the price”, he says.

Planting

According to Kayongo, all a farmer needs to do is to get tubers and bury them under the earth. Yams mature between six to eight months.

Kayongo has also found a better method of dealing with the unpredictable seasons. “All my yams and sugarcanes are in swamps, so I can grow here even during the dry seasons”, he says.

Kayongo says the leaves can be harvested and prepared like any vegetables or they can be dried and pounded into powder, and mixed with ground nuts sauce. 

Sales

He sells his yams depending on the sizes. Many traders find him in his gardens. A 50kg bag of yam would buy between Sh25, 000 to Sh35, 000. “But we normally sell them in pieces. To individuals three medium sized yams would go for Shs1, 000”, he adds.

He says though yams take long time to grow but there are profitable and even the market is good. Usually many people book gardens when they still young.

Yams in plenty

In a week, Kayongo can harvest at least five bags of yams and a pick- up truck of sugar canes.

This has convinced him to concentrate on yams and sugarcanes. The prices rise each day, depending on the sizes of yams, mostly during times of scarcity. Kayongo is one of the few farmers in Kiwenda and is among the best.

Ruth Nabanjja at Gayaza market says the yams now are in plenty where as the market is not that big. The situation is not helped by the big number of traders dealing with them.

Disadvantages

Juliet Nakalema a trader in Matugga market says though yams grow in watery areas, keeping them in water makes the rot.

They can be good for some few days when there are getting fresh air.

Achievements

Kayongo is grateful to his customers, who have helped him through his journey to prosperity.

Digging everyday has now become part of my life and I don’t regret because at the age 79 am fit because every day I do my exercise with the hoe.

With the experience Kayongo has gained he is constantly consulted by colleagues from his village and beyond he trains farmers on yams.

 “Every year, I make profits from my project, I don’t reveal how much, but I have been able to educate both my children and grandchildren”, he says.

 He says yam and sugarcane farming are worth whole venture.

Challenges

People in my village are hard working but not cooperative, I believe in working together as farmers. This can help us a lot to improve on our products because they some who know more and don’t give others ideals”, Kayongo says.

Kayongo’s project of yams and sugarcanes is sitting on a two acre piece of land and it is his major source of livelihood. 

RELATED STORIES:

Climbing yams face extinction