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| Members of the Kabuyanda Farmers Cooperative |
The first of those projects is the
Kabuyanda Grain Warehouse. The goal of the project is to increase farmer income, achieve better prices by safely storing crops
after harvest, jointly negotiating selling prices, and contracting with
major feeding organizations like the World Food Program. Results have been mixed. A
300 metric ton warehouse was financed by the Craig Family Foundation (precursor to EPN) and a farmers cooperative was formed with the goal
of gaining 500 members. Currently, the cooperative has only 125 participating farmers and only a fraction of the warehouse
capacity is being used, so there is potential to achieve significantly higher
farmer participation and income generation with more proactive leadership. John and Judy officially commissioned
the warehouse during their visit, which was a nice honor.
The other project they funded in
Ruhiira is the Kabuyanda Women’s Craft Cooperative, a women’s cooperative that
creates a variety of crafts to generate extra income for the family. Funds were
provided to test a new line of beaded jewelry. The test went well, and John and
Judy found a wide variety of beaded products being sold at the local co-op as well as through local retail stores.
Judy and John also had a lovely visit with Farmer Paul, a retired military man with a thirst for knowledge and openness to new ideas. He is a prime example of what a diversified and integrated approach to farming can achieve. The MVP provided Paul with training, an $800 prized dairy cow, and a hearty breed of goats from South Africa. In addition, Paul planted a garden where he grows fruits and vegetables for sale and personal use. He grows grasses that he feeds to his cow and goats, then uses the manure to fertilize the fields. The manure also is used in a biogas system that produces the gas he cooks with, eliminating the need to cut down trees for firewood, as well as the smoke that permeates most homes. Paul has dramatically improved his standard of living. He has built a new home, financed a retail shop for his wife, and sent his kids to university. He has also given offspring from his cow and goats to other farmers in the community so that they can begin to enjoy the same benefits as him.
John and Judy were
particularly impressed with the progress made in infrastructure in the cluster. A network of all weather roads has been cut through the steep
terrain, connecting the villages to each other and to the outside world. A
water management system has been implemented that provides 9,000 people in the
cluster with safe, easy access to water. A prototype shared
solar power system was installed, providing power to approximately 120 businesses and
households in the area. And the government is installing power lines that will connect the cluster to the
national power grid, a decision that MVP had been advocating for many years.
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| Members of the Kabuyanda Crafts Co-op |
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| Farmer Paul |
Judy and John also had a lovely visit with Farmer Paul, a retired military man with a thirst for knowledge and openness to new ideas. He is a prime example of what a diversified and integrated approach to farming can achieve. The MVP provided Paul with training, an $800 prized dairy cow, and a hearty breed of goats from South Africa. In addition, Paul planted a garden where he grows fruits and vegetables for sale and personal use. He grows grasses that he feeds to his cow and goats, then uses the manure to fertilize the fields. The manure also is used in a biogas system that produces the gas he cooks with, eliminating the need to cut down trees for firewood, as well as the smoke that permeates most homes. Paul has dramatically improved his standard of living. He has built a new home, financed a retail shop for his wife, and sent his kids to university. He has also given offspring from his cow and goats to other farmers in the community so that they can begin to enjoy the same benefits as him.
The major goal for economic development in the region is to increase the economic value and
diversity of farming activities. Ruhiira lies in the heart of banana country,
and bananas are the cornerstone of the economy and local diet. There is much to
be said about this subject--we are preparing a blog post dedicated to it!
All in all it was a wonderful and rewarding trip.
All in all it was a wonderful and rewarding trip.
