Curiosity turned Azza into a huge exporter of strawberries

BEST FARMERS|AGRICULTURE|REBECCA AZZA

Rebecca Ssenkubuge Azza, never knew strawberry farming would become her cash cow, even though she had the passion for growing it.

This passion has turned into a full-time job. At her home in Entebe-Kitooro, Azza is busy every minute of the day, planting, pruning, harvesting.

"I retired from teaching in 2011 after getting tired of the normal daily routine of lesson plans and revision. I felt like there was nothing new and challenging for me in teaching. I had to find something new," says Azza.

She cannot stop smiling as she picks fruits and pulls out weeds. "I grow several varieties like Chadler, Potola and Selva," she says.

Azza says the market for strawberries is bigger than all the strawberry farmers in Uganda and the region, can produce. "Because of this big market, I am looking for 10 outgrowers who can have at least 20,000 strawberry plants each," she adds.



How she started

With only 10 plants she bought at sh1,000 each in 2015, Azza started her potentially multi-million strawberry farm that sits on three quarters of an acre at Bugamba-Garuga in Entebe municipality in Wakiso district. On the same piece of land, she grows strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, as well as yellow and red pepper.

"I never intended to grow strawberries as a business. I just got curious and picked interest when I saw them at a friend's home. They looked nice and I wanted to bring a new look to my compound," she says.

Since she was not in it for business, she planted them directly in the soil until she was overwhelmed by demand that she couldn't satisfy. "One day, my berries were ripe and I jokingly asked a friend who had gone for a meeting abroad to look for market for my berries because she knew my berries are grown organically. To my surprise, in just 30 minutes, she called back asking if I could deliver 300 boxes weekly," she recalls.



Expanding the farm

After some time, the home garden became congested yet strawberries need sufficient sun to grow well. She had to find a way of redesigning the garden. "I came up with vertical gardens from which I managed to get 2,750 plants from the 90 plants I had in the same space," she says.

Vertical farming or planting on raised beds does not only increase the plant population, but also promotes good drainage and the growth of large berries.

Realising how profitable the business was, Azza expanded the garden to another plot in Bugamba-Garuga.

"I currently have 5,472 strawberry plants at Garuga. The entire farm area can accommodate 20,000 plants," she says.

Watch out for Part Two of this story...