Hope Mafaranga
2 December 2008
Kampala — Christopher Kachope, 69, a resident of Rwengaju, Busoro sub-county in Kabarole district, has finally realised millions from poultry keeping and other agricultural activities.
Kachope started farming on a small scale in the mid 1970s.
A former fisherman and businessman, Kachope says in 2002, he started a small banana plantation on a two-acre piece of land with 200 local chicken and a few indigenous cows. Using family labour, Kachope was able to save money from the banana plantation and buy bigger land.
He now has over 30 acres of land on which he rears over 1,000 chicken, 10 cows, goats, pigs and does a string of other agricultural activities.
He says he earns an average of sh4.5m from eggs, sh600,000 from milk and sh300,000 from matooke every month.
When President Yoweri Museveni visited the area last year in a bid to promote the prosperity for all programme, he donated three cows to Kachope.
However, Kachope says, even with the large amount of money he earns, he still faces a lot of challenges. He cites lack of market for his produce, adding that fellow farmers are reluctant to form groups which would help them fetch a good price for their produce.
He also cited lack of water as another challenge. This has cost him a lot of money. He buys a jerrycan of water at between sh300 and sh500 for his animals. Kachope says the President promised to help Rwengaju to get clean water.
He says through farming, he has educated his children and built a nice house.
Kachope urges people to stop looking at farming as a punishment, but to cultivate more for food security and to earn a living.
Thomas Mukidi, another prominent farmer from Nyabwina village, started farming with only sh200,000 as capital, but now earns sh600,000 per month from matooke. From one acre of coffee, Mukidi earns sh1.4m, sh600,000 from eggs, and sh360,000 from milk.
Mukidi's journey started when he dropped out of school in P.5 after his father failed to pay his school fees.
He worked in people's gardens, saved money and bought a bicycle which he used to transport local brew to Fort Portal town to sell.
It was from the sale of tonto (banana wine) that Mukidi got the sh200,000 to start commercial farming. He is also among the farmers who Museveni visited. The President promised him a car to transport his produce.
He has also been able to educate his children from the money he earns.
He says he faces a challenge of local politicians thinking that he does not support them.
He also mentioned lack of water, power and market and the poor road network as the other challenges.
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