Healthy diets and flourishing futures with vegetable farming in Uganda

In the Kotido district in the Karamoja region of Uganda, the Lapetoyole farmers’ group has been busy growing vegetables in an initiative introduced by Farm Africa with support from CARE’s multi-national CASCADE programme.

The project aims to boost the availability and consumption of nutritious diets and enhance the nutritional resilience of households, with a specific focus on increasing women’s agency to make decisions about healthy diets in the household.

The group, which is mostly made up of women and young people, has developed a three-quarter-acre plot of land to grow vegetables such as tomatoes, onions, cabbages and collard greens, a leafy vegetable similar to kale. The group has been so successful that they are transitioning to commercial vegetable production on a five-acre plot.

In a region characterised by a high level of conflict, including livestock raids, members of the Lapetoyole group have attested to the project’s positive influence, suggesting that farming vegetables ensures they are spending time on productive activities.

The Kalo super women’s group hosting Farm Africa’s Technical Manager for markets and value chains, Caroline Asiimwe, during a field visit.

The female-led veggie growers

The Kalo super women’s group, also in the Kotido district, has been reaping similar benefits from the initiative. The group, comprised of 30 women, all experienced vegetable growers, hosts a learning site to teach others how to successfully grow, market and sell vegetables.

So far, they have planted one acre with collard greens, onions and cabbages, which they are currently selling. They plan to expand production over three acres, and are in the process of investing in a water source that will facilitate off-season production.

Innovation for year-round production

In collaboration with CARE International and the Karenga District’s local government, as well as local and private sector partners, Farm Africa helped set up five-acre community learning sites in Kaliman Dam, Karenga District. The sites focus on highly nutritious crops such as onions, tomatoes, aubergines, cabbages and okra.

Field monitoring visit with CARE to learning sites in the Karenda district.

These crops prolong soil’s water retention and can be grown and sold year round, which contributes to better food security, income and nutrition in the region.

To help with this, the learning sites are equipped with portable solar-powered pumps that draw water from a community managed valley dam for year-round irrigation.

Following the success of the project, community members are now expanding from a five to 20-acre vibrant, commercial horticultural production site.