Kikondo, UG – FAITH gardening family PNM invests VICOBA loan in a commercial garden – Dec 2025

PMN family has been active with FAITH gardening and managed to expand their activities to harvest a modest amount of maize during the second growing season of 2025.

They realized that they could be more food secure after observing how other families were benefiting from the Zinabala group loan scheme. They gave it a try. Family savings with the VICOBA were low so Mr. PNM secured a loan of 300,000 shillings (about $85) from Zinabala to operate a staple crop garden. Since he’s an active member in all group activities and has borrowed and repaid to purchase inventory for his store in Katende, it was easy for him to get the loan approved by the loan committee.

Mr. PNM invested the borrowed 300,000 shillings in ¾ acre of land rented from a friend. He paid 200,000 shillings to rent the land, paid 50,000 for 2kgs of improved maize seeds, and 50,000 to transport and apply manure.

Family members, including three children who attend Kikondo Primary School, carried out other farm activities such as weeding.

He managed to harvest 500kgs of maize. He kept 100kgs for food and sold 400kgs. He would have harvested more than 500kgs but was affected by a change in weather suddenly becoming dry. Lack of water reduced his yield.

The family repaid the loan of 330,000 with interest and earned 150,000 shillings to be saved in their VICOBA account.

During the first growing season of 2026 the family will operate a commercial staple crop garden again. This season it will plant beans intercropped with maize. Beans are harvested early so if a growing season has only shorter rains, a farmer is more sure of an adequate harvest. Other advantages of garden diversification include improving soil fertility and participating in more than one seasonal crop market that may price well for sellers. The risk of losing money on the growing activity is diminished.