A Recipe for Success
In the small village of Kyesabo – several kilometers from Mitooma town council – we met Feredensi in her garden harvesting onions and tomatoes. Parents to eight children, Feredensi and her husband rely on subsistence farming to provide for the family. A good harvest is critical to the family’s survival.
Subsistence farmers depend on farming for income and consumption. Lack of knowledge of good agronomic practices (GAP) and organic pesticides, as well as limited resources to invest in good quality seeds often result in a compromised harvest. Like many farmers in Kyesabo Village, Feredensi’s crops had also suffered from pests and poor harvest, leading to dire food insecurity for the family.
“My husband and I are both farmers. Sometimes our crops are hit by pests and diseases, so we end up without food.”
Raising The Village provided the community with training about good agronomic practices and the use of organic pesticides, and liquid organic manure. As part of our programs, Feredensi also received household and organic seeds. Getting the right quality seeds along with the training and follow-ups made a big difference for Feredensi’s garden. Although she was skeptical about the effectiveness of organic pesticides at first, she was motivated to try them.
“I applied organic pesticides and manure in my garden. It improved my yields and helped me deal with pests and diseases. The money I used to use to buy artificial pesticides, now I use it to buy other basic home needs.”
Local produce like tomatoes and onions are commonly used in Kyesabo’s cuisine and are essential to making sauce recipes. With good harvests – from her ground nuts, onion, and tomato garden -Federensi has enough to feed her family while selling the excess through her small home-based stall. She is proud that her harvest is always fresh.
Feredensi’s interactions with her customers through her home-based stall also give her the opportunity to proudly share her knowledge about good agronomic practices and the use of organic pesticides.
With some skill building, guidance, and the right inputs, as well as Feredensi’s willingness to change and adopt good practices, she has been able to not only improve her harvest and increase the income and consumption for her household, but also gain the knowledge to utilize for seasons to come.
