Kikondo, UG – Zinabala VICOBA harvests an abundant maize and bean crop just ahead of drought – 31 Jul 2022

The Kikondo Zinabala VICOBA (Village Community Banking Association) group harvested in July the staple crop garden they started with February soil nourishment and early planting in March, to have food security and provide income to the group. https://betterlives.org/?s=kikondo+feb+mar+2022

During the 2020-2021 lockdown Wamukisa provided relief food to 40 hungry families in Kikondo village, so in response to need on the path to sustainability, families came together to grow maize and beans. Since most of those families are members of a VICOBA, they organized funds which helped them start a 3 acre maize and bean staple crop garden under the supervision of the YNM family group. Wamukisa provided them with techniques like composting and mulching which helped them have good yields.

The VICOBA managed to harvest 25 sacks of fresh maize ears from the first 1.5 acre. Workers chop the stalks to make animal feed. In total the VICOBA has earned 6,000,000 Uganda Shillings from sales. They spent 200,000 on land clearing, 150,000 on manure, 150,000 on both maize and bean seeds, 100,000 on planting labor, and 200,000 on weeding labor. Total expenditure was 800,000 so their net income is 5,200,000/= ($1,444), with enough food in their food bank to respond to another food crisis.

The VICOBA staple crop garden has harvested well as compared to other famers who didn’t apply compost and also planted late. The VICOBA will have enough food in its food bank (both maize flour and beans) so it won’t be affected by famine that may come in September and October as forecasted by government. (Uganda now is experiencing a drought which has led to many staple crop garden failures.) It has employed 5 families to operate the garden with YNM family leading and all earning personal income as well as a share of the VICOBA crop.

If the end of 2022 brings more health, another good harvest from the second rain season, and more economic stability, Zinabala hopes to start investing again in their event management business.