Kikondo, UG – Wamukisa trains Destiny School students and Zinabala Community Bank (VICOBA) members – 31 Mar 2022

Rose and Michael restarted Wamukisa’s training schedule by training Destiny School students and Zinabala VICOBA members in agriculture. Destiny School is located a short walk from Wamukisa’s Kikondo demonstration and commercial gardens. It is a very large campus with both primary and secondary schools and many students, teachers, and support staff. Before the pandemic Wamukisa regularly sold organic vegetables to the school, but that stopped when Uganda closed all schools and prohibited group gatherings. When schools opened in February 2022, Destiny began to buy vegetables again and secondary school Geography and Agriculture teachers requested Wamukisa to train their learners in March by introducing them to agriculture activities in the Kikondo community. Learners had an overview of FAITH gardening, how to maximise productivity by practicing organic agriculture with raising beds, using organic sprays, and making and using compost. The introduction included maintenance practices like watering, mulching, and proper harvest and handling practices.

Zinabala VICOBA meetings also are permitted now by the government. The VICOBA decided to open a staple crop garden of three acres. (https://betterlives.org/2022/02/kikondo-ug-zinabala-community-banking-group-has-used-its-training-to-nourish-soil-for-march-planting-28-feb-2022/). Wamukisa carried out a training on how they can maximise output of their land and about the economics of expected maize and bean harvests from their land. A major challenge ahead is unusual weather with late and low seasonal rainfall and high temperatures affecting bean and maize growth. Harvests will be stored in part temporarily awaiting sale, and stored in part longer term for sale at favorable market price or for food need in the event of drought or disease. Members learned mulching to conserve soil moisture and how they will handle produce so that they face no damages by pests and weevils in storage.

Wamukisa has realized that adult members and student members of their community have much interest in learning about new agriculture practices in Kikondo, most especially organic farming. Although Destiny School has a large campus, most of the land is occupied by buildings and none remains for FAITH gardening. In April and May, students will come again to Wamukisa’s gardens for hands-on learning about agriculture which can supplement classroom lessons in science and mathematics. In June, Wamukisa and teachers hope to organise an agriculture/geography club at Destiny School, meeting at Wamukisa’s gardens, so that learners can physically participate in organic agriculture.