New possibilities

Geniva and her husband, Deus, now see better harvests from the land they have farmed for many years. Before Raising The Village partnered with their community in January 2025, the couple mainly grew bananas, coffee, beans, Irish potatoes, sweet potatoes, and cassava for household consumption. But limited knowledge of Good Agricultural Practices meant limited production, income, and no savings for the future. Through agricultural training, improved seeds, practical tools, and WASH support, Geniva and Deus have strengthened their farming, improved household food security, and begun planning for a more stable future.

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Geniva, 52, and Deus, 58, live with their children in a remote village in Mitooma district. They have five children, two boys and three girls, and farming has long been their main source of livelihood. While their gardens included both perennial and seasonal crops, most of their production was for subsistence. They had limited access to improved agricultural practices and inputs that could help them make better use of their land. When Raising The Village partnered with their community, Geniva and Deus were encouraged by the program’s focus on farming households.

Through training on Good Agricultural Practices, the couple began applying new techniques in their gardens. With tools such as hoes, drums, and forked hoes, they started preparing compost manure and liquid manure and applying them to their banana plantation. They also began digging trenches in their plantation to conserve water. Over time, they saw visible changes in both the productivity and management of their garden. “I loved the topic on making compost manure, and it has really worked for me in all my gardens,” Deus says. As part of the program, Geniva and Deus also received improved seeds, including beans, Irish potatoes, onions, and up to nine varieties of vegetables. These inputs helped the household diversify what they were growing and improve both food consumption and income opportunities. “I was so happy when we received improved seeds, especially beans. We planted them, got a big harvest, and sold some,” Deus says.

The household also benefited from vegetable production through keyhole backyard gardens. Together with other community members, Geniva participated in setting up a nursery bed, which provided the seedlings. “We first formed a nursery bed with the whole community, from which we got the seedlings and put them in our keyhole and backyard gardens,” Geniva says. The family now grows and consumes a wider variety of vegetables, including spinach, sukuma wiki, cabbage, white eggplants, purple eggplants, and pumpkins. This has helped improve household food security and contributed to a healthier diet for the family.

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Geniva and Deus also joined a Village Savings and Loans Association (VSLA) group formed through the program. The groups provided access to local savings and credit, giving members a way to meet financial needs at low interest and invest in household priorities. “I borrowed money from the group and bought beans, which I planted and got more profit from. I was able to pay fees for my children and meet other home needs,” Geniva says. Through the VSLA, Geniva was also able to purchase a goat and build a shelter for it, adding another asset to the household.

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Additionally, the family has also applied lessons from WASH training. “Our children are safe, and they clean their hands each time they visit the latrine. We also have hang lines in our compound and a good dish rack where we clean our utensils,” Deus says.

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For Geniva and Deus, the changes have strengthened their confidence in what they can build from their land and savings. Their harvests, especially from coffee and bananas, have improved, and they continue to apply the practices they learned across their gardens. Looking ahead, the couple hopes to build a permanent house and educate their children up to university. “These are the two main things we think about each and every day,” Deus says.