Kikondo, UG – Zinabala VICOBA expands influence and harvests another good crop – Jan 2023

In challenging weather conditions, Zinabala VICOBA is harvesting and storing another abundant maize crop as well as staging two more bee hives for delivery by bicycle after the harvest. The VICOBA has become much more than simply a way for the community to save money.

Zinabala group started staple crop growing in 2021 after realizing that its families had no food during COVID lockdown and had to rely upon charitable food distribution. VICOBA leaders Umar and Sarah gifted the group the use of a total 3 acres of land. The VICOBA hired the YNM family group and other member families to provide farming labor. They begin a crop by using the VICOBA’s new method of soil preparation, covering the land with layers of green material, brown material, manure, charcoal, and a microbe mixture. During the growing season the decomposing material provides nutrients to the crops and importantly some remains to provide mulch for moisture retention.

Harvest was delayed and began at the end of January because of an unusual second rain season that was heavy with long periods of dry and extended into normally dry February. Mulch helped the VICOBA crops while other farmers had drought failure. The late rains were not good for the beans grown beneath to dry, but the maize grown on stalks above ripened well. In the middle of harvest, the VICOBA has already harvested about 2,500 kilograms of maize and 800 kilograms of beans. It will make profit because of the high demand of maize and beans throughout the country. The cost of a kilo of maize is 800/= UGS and a kilo of beans is 2,000/= UGS now and produce traders are forecasting less changes in prices. The VICOBA will be able to keep half the harvest in its food bank for future food need or sale.

The VICOBA bee keeping project will expand from 6 hives to 8. The VICOBA hopes to continue training its members and exploring other member business opportunities that also now include event hosting, tree grafting nursery, and farm animal raising.