Organic agricultural products have the highest demand world over because they do not expose consumers to health risks. These are products from crops that have been grown without the use of chemicals such as pesticides and inorganic fertilisers. This means the crops are grown using the natural fertilisers and the use of materials developed on the farm to fight the pests. how Songhai model works Through this model, the farmer produces more using less input because the enterprises support each other.
One such place that is raising hope for the production of organic foods in Uganda is the Songhai Model Site, the first in the East and Central Africa.
Found at Kampiringisa a renowned rehabilitation centre in Mpigi
District, the Songhai Model Site is an integrated farm that brings together crop husbandry, animal husbandry, agro-forestry and aquaculture. The site is manned by seven young Ugandans who were trained at the Songhai Centre in Benin two years ago. This model was established by Prof Fr Godfrey Nzamujo, a Dominican Republic priest who currently exports tonnes of organic agricultural products to the US and to the West African market monthly. Youthful farmers to benefit The idea behind the model site is to help the youth replicate what is happening on the farm to start up similar projects for income generation.
The model picked from Songhai in the West African county of Benin is practiced through the Uganda’s Green Growth Incubation Programme (UGIP) under the Ministry
of Gender, Labour and Social Development (MoGLSD). The project sitting on at least 100 acres of land was established about two years ago. enterprises At the site, there are is a market garden where food crops including cassava, tomatoes, cucumbers, African egg plants, cabbages, carrots, French beans and paw paw among others. These products especially the fruits, one can pick from the farm and it them promptly without a need for washing them as would be the case for the non-organic foods.
Away from the crops, the farm has got poultry, piggery, fish ponds, banana plantations and the agroforestry. Pamela Mbabazi the manager of the Songhai Model Site at Kampiringisa says, the projects on the farm benefit from each other in one way or the other.
“This is a demonstration farm to show everyone out there especially the youth that you can do intergrade farming where the different enterprises benefit from each other’s. Animals feed from products in the crop and agro-forestry section but also we use animal wastes for manure in this area,” Mbabazi says. type of gardening The different crops are grown in sub-plots of one crop or more that are inter-cropped.
There is hope that this farm will be a demonstration of how to create green jobs for the youth and women. The main pillar for Songhai Model organic farming is to add value to the products. This means that jobs are available for youth and women right from crop production, to post-harvest, especially processing and packaging, and marketing of the products.
Green jobs are decent jobs that help in reducing negative environmental impacts and promote safety and health at work. The core ingredients of green jobs include promotion of good working conditions, improvement of energy and raw materials efficiency, minimisation of waste and industrial pollution and protection and restoration of ecosystem.
Dairy section The dairy section that was stocked last year has already been blessed with a calf. Esau Buzaale the manager of the dairy project says, PS Bigirimana on receiving the news of the calf, he named it, Kiconco. This means a gift. The cows on the farm are mostly cross-breeds and rear them well to contribute milk for sale on the market and also for the processing of other dairy products.
Poultry 35 birds have been put for breed tapping, there are already a total of 288 chicks.
Bigirimana says that from this farm, a new shift in the commercial agriculture is emerging because different youth groups will be allowed in for study. The hostels are going to be constructed to provide accommodation. “Our farm is now productive because we are already harvesting,” he said.
Value addition Bigirimana says the products from the farm such as yoghurt, tomato sauce, packed fish, tinned meat, soap from cucumbers, oil from moringa and okra (lady fingers), cosmetics from avocados, shoes, belts, and butter, among others will be sold on both local and international markets.
Profits From the records, Mbabazi says, every month, the farm has started yielding about Shs3.2m from the sale of food stuff because every Friday, the marketing team collecs Shs800,000 from sales.
Fish ponds at the farm, there are 18 fish ponds with 17 of them already stocked. each pond according to saudah apolot the overseer fisheries is stocked with 300 fingerlings with expected massive harvest set for June. the type of fish is tilapia.
Piggery at the time seeds of Gold visited the farm last year, the piggery was blossoming with the managers taking care of 21 piglets born in the last month. there are 31 adult pigs and the mode of multiplying them is through cross-breeding. From the piggery, the project has so far earned shs1.4m from the sale of two pigs that veterinarians advised would not live longer after they became huge. They were sold out to butchers who slaughter pigs for pork.
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