Kagadi Organic Project
Another program was launched in 2008 in Kibaale district in Western Uganda (see map) with 600 enthusiastic out-growers and 13 stores with a focus on larger scale production of organic birds-eye chillies, the hottest of its kind. Chilli was a new crop in the area and farmers were initially growing the crop on trial basis. It was noticed that the crop does exceptionally well under bananas, which are common in the area. There is enough rain and the chilli is productive throughout the year. The first farmers received a good income from their harvest and now many farmers have joined the program and the interest is growing.
Shares! introduced the program in partnership with the local organization called Uganda Rural Development Training (URDT). URDT is a non-profit organization that provides education and training for rural development in the very poor Kibaale Districts of Uganda.
Shares! and URDT give out different forms of support to farmer households and run show case field trials to teach good organic and profitable farm practices and reduce the costs of production. Shares! (U) Ltd provides farmers with small but frequent loans and offers an interactive and educational weekly radio program on a variety of topics.
Shares has an office on the URDT premises in Kagadi town which is run by a program manager and assistant. Two well trained Field Officers are permanently on the ground and visit the farmers twice a year to provide on the spot trainings and inspections.
The Kagadi programme has around 50 trained lead farmers in the organic area with demonstration farms where interested farmers can learn more about the agronomic practices of growing chilli peppers in combination with other cash crops. Registered farmers receive loans to build simple solar heaters or to hire enough labor to pick the fruits.
Farmers often don’t see the value of cash or are afraid to keep too much cash at home. We will soon start a new payment system offered to every interested out grower whereby we partly pay in useful household items or farm inputs and partly in cash while negotiating for the best prices for these articles with local wholesalers. The idea has been received with enthusiasm.
Shares! and Bo Weevil like to involve customers in the organic projects. In 2009 the UK based company KLOWT donated funds through their Rock of Hope Foundation to build a new kitchen at the URDT Girls School using energy saving stoves. This has helped the school to reduce costs and the girls teach their parents to adopt the new techniques.
