Kikondo, UG – FMJ family adds staple crops to agriculture business – Aug 2024

The FMJ family (previously named GJM without clan reference https://betterlives.org/2023/06/kikondo-ug-family-adapts-organic-gardening-to-commercial-growing-june-2023/ ) has successfully grown maize, bringing more profit to its agriculture business. In June 2023 this family was earning well by growing vegetables but had started growing staples on a small scale. They also rear pigs which give them manure used to make compost to use in this season’s maize garden.

At the start of the first 2024 harvest season Mr. FMJ realized that his vegetables were being affected by the unusually hot weather Kikondo experienced. He used part of his savings to plant most of his rented ¾ acre with maize instead of other vegetables. He managed a very successful crop aided by being close to a water source for irrigation, harvesting 800 kilograms.

The family has learned they can earn more profit by selling milled maize flour instead of dried maize seeds. Kikondo villagers prefer to buy flour instead of grinding their own seeds. When maize seed sells for 700 shillings per kilogram, flour sells for 1,800 UGS / kg. Maize bran sells for 150 UGS / kg. So FMJ will mill their 800 kg of maize to produce 650 kg of flour plus 150 kg of maize bran. The value of the milled crop will be flour sales 1,170,000 UGS + bran to FMJ’s piggery with 6 pigs 22,500 = 1,195,500 UGS (about $340). The pigs will produce manure used to make compost to feed the next crop. Profit is expected 1,195,500 crop value – 400,000 rent – 100,000 planted seeds – 100,000 paid labor – 120,000 milling fee = 475,500 UGS (about $136) profit for the season.

For the second 2024 season growing maize, FMJ will care for the soil by adding compost and inter-cropping beans to add nitrogen. The family’s main challenge is the limited space to extend vegetable and staple crop growing. They dream of saving enough to buy more, less expensive land in Mr. FMJ’s home village.