After practicing farming for the past 30 years, Mr. Apollo Turyamuhaki, 48 years
old, was interested to know that there was a project teaching them about how
to improve their farming.
Turyamuhaki grows rice, coffee, groundnuts, bananas, and beans on his 2-acre farm located in
Kakoni village, Bwambala sub-county, Rukungiri district. He also rears a few goats and chicken
on his farm.
Before joining the training by PELUM Uganda under KHEA project in March 2022, he used to carry out farming and supplement it with artificial fertilizers like weed master to eliminate all the weeds. He however did not know that he was killing the micro-organisms in the soil that make it infertile.
He also later discovered that chemicals used to destroy or dry up his bananas, beans which made him incur losses and make him reliant on them
In March 2022, Turyamuhaki was invited by a KHEA Multiplier Mr. Onesimus Asiimwe for training under Kakoni Organic Framers Initiative which he was part of, under KCOA-KHEA Project through PELUM Uganda.
“His family and community thought I had run crazy involving myself in these trainings at my age because they did not think those rudimentary organic methods would help my farming,”
At first, he was ignorant, about what the training was about but later when he acquired the skills and knowledge about organic farming, he loved it a lot since he saw an opportunity for development at his own farm.
Since he got involved with KCOA project he has been able to start eating some vegetables like spinach, Sukuma wiki, dodo, green paper that are free from chemicals.
Turyamuhaki says when he began training with PELUM Uganda, his friends and neighbors used to wonder what he was doing.
“They thought I had run crazy because they did not think those rudimentary organic methods would help my farming,” said Turyamuhaki.
Later, when they saw the results from his vegetable garden and healthy plants, all his neighbors came to inquiry from him about farming which really made him happy.
Turyamuhaki is now able to cut the costs incurred by using organic fertilizers since he uses materials from already existing products like ash, goat manure and bio char which at the same time boost the health of his plants.
Apollo is in awe of the amazing work PELUM Uganda is doing to spread awareness and teach them as farmers about organic farming and predicts high income from his vegetable garden he just set up recently
Success story collection – done by Ezra Kalule – KHEA Project Officer – PELUM Uganda,
Edited, reviewed&uploaded by Magino Pamella-KHEA Communications Officer-PELUM Uganda and Biovision Africa Trust Kenya
Author: Pamella Magino
Ms. Magino Pamella joined Participatory Ecological Land Use Management (PELUM) Uganda on 1st October 2021 as a Communications Officer for the KCOA-KHEA Project. She comes with over 9 years’ experience as a Communications and Marketing professional in the area of Public Relations, Business Development and Marketing. Pamella offers her clients a visionary and holistic approach to developing communication strategies that are both effective and efficient. Pamella holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Mass Communication majored in Public Relations and a Certified Member of the Public Relations Association Uganda a recognized umbrella body of all private and public Public Relations professionals, Communication Specialists, Brand Managers, Mass Communication & other related disciplines’ in Uganda. She previously worked with different organizations; The Nile Basin Initiative Secretariat Entebbe, Victoria University Kampala –Uganda, MK Publishers Limited, Monitor Publications Limited, School Times Newspaper, Prime Radio, Africa Youth Leadership Forum, League of Young Professionals Uganda, Volunteer Evolution Arica, Eliham Girl Child charity house.
