Wakiso’s model farm beating climate change

But behind the dream of being a model farm, the Nkowe-based enterprise is beating the global challenges associated with climate change.

“We did a self-assessment in March on how we are responding to climate change adaptation and mitigation. We have practices that have ensured adaptation to climate change for the local community,’’ Mr Faizo Waswa, a lead manufacturer of organic fertilizers at the farm, told Daily Monitor in an interview at the weekend.

Mr Waswa says they are championing the use of organic fertilizers because they are readily accessible from villages.

“The organic fertilizers absorb carbon from the atmosphere and reduce its emissions. We also do agroforestry to see that we still absorb more greenhouse gases. Our team has launched energy-saving stoves in many schools,’’ he says.

According to FAO, the use of organic fertilizers contributes to mitigating the greenhouse effect and global warming through their ability to sequester carbon in the soil.

The model farm, a brainchild of the Agency for Integrated Rural Development - AFIRD  organisation, a non-governmental organisation, has lined up a number of organic fertilizers and other technologies that are affordable to farmers.

For instance, the price of Bio slurry goes for Shs800 per kg, organic phosphite (Shs3,000 per kg), compound organic fertilizer- General (Shs1,200 per kg), and organic pesticide lime sand (Shs12,000 per litre).

Some of the other technologies at Afird model farm include recycling plastics and kaveera into beautiful handcrafted products. Among the products are small handbags for pupils and students.

Water harvest

The farm also has a water management system that collects running water around vegetable gardens. The system solves the drought challenges.

On Climate change information, the Nkowe-based team trains and provides information to locals and institutions of learning.

“Adaptation to climate change comes along with access to information,’’ says Mr Waswa, adding that the Prisons Service has been a key institution and beneficiary of Afird programmes.

“For prisons, we are providing an alternative land use by championing permaculture. We focus on small areas to grow crops. This has prepared former inmates to integrate back into their communities. We have a kitchen-garden model that trains in different activities,’’ AFIRD’s Executive Director Eustace Sajjabi says.

“Once a farmer sees a value in technology, then he or she will embrace it. We have ladies who have borrowed a leave from our wine training sessions,’’ he added.

Mr Sajjabi says they are proud of grooming ambassadors of climate change by holding open-day sessions to get the community involved in their activities.

“People are not aware of our activities. But we keep holding open day sessions to champion our agenda,’’ he says.

Challenges

Mr Musiimenta Julius, the head of programmes at AFIRD, says. “The government should recognise what we do and appreciate our work. There should be an environment for us to work with government agencies to transmit the technologies we have. We also call upon the private sector to support us to reach more people.’’

He asks the government to bring on board extension workers to access our knowledge. “If an extension worker came to this place (firm), they would never leave the same way. The education system mainly looks at conventional education and hides the other side of the coin,’’ Mr Musiimenta says.

He wants the government to support the National Organic Agriculture Policy.

The policy, which was launched in 2019, was intended to enable the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) to regulate, coordinate and harmonize the efforts towards harnessing Uganda's competitiveness through organic agriculture.