Kikondo, UG – FNS family grows income with a staple crop garden – 30 Sep 2022

The FNS family has expanded their income-earning projects by saving to buy land for a large staple crop garden where they grow and harvest maize and beans to eat and to sell. Their businesses started by opening near their house in Kikondo a FAITH garden which the family has operated and maintained with Wamukisa’s mentorship for the last 5 years. In the last 3 years it has invested most of its savings with the Zinabala VICOBA to grow a piggery project.

The FNS family had a dream of owning a plot of land for its own staple crop farming. At the end of 2021 the family sold its 25 pigs at a cost 4.5 million Uganda shillings ($1,250) and used that money to buy a 50 feet x 100 feet plot of land about 4 kilometers from Kikondo village. The family started growing crops on the plot of land during the two annual Uganda growing seasons and has been able to grow more food to eat and grow its savings in the VICOBA. Due to increased animal feed prices, the family temporarily stopped rearing of pigs.

After sale of part of the second 2022 harvest at the end of this year, the family hopes again to add to their 400,000 shillings saved at the VICOBA. They will use their savings to start again a piggery project at the beginning of 2023. They can use maize stalks and bran from next growing season and milling as low cost animal feed. Pigs produce manure that can be used to nourish soil. When weather and market cycles are good, the FNS family dreams to have two continuous income producing cycles.