Page 152 - AFAP Success Stories 2020

From hate to love: Growing up, Ochakolong Esukaya, a now
second-year student of agribusiness
Ochakolong’s management at Busitema University in
Soroti, detested farming. To him farming
Agricultural Journey was a form of punishment. Back in primary
school, he explained, farming and especially
weeding were activities for latecomers and
students who misbehaved.

Having grown up in a farming household, Ochakolong
continued to farm. In February and May 2020 during
the long rains, he was selected by Acila Enterprises
Ltd to be one of two host farmers for a demonstration
garden at Busitema University. Acila Enterprises is
one of the AFAP-supported hub agro dealers that
received funds for demand creation. He was allocated
600 tomato seedlings of the Kilele F1 variety. With
the provided seedlings, Ochakolong managed to
achieve 95% germination. On a 40m by 20m plot he
grew 1300kg from the garden, which was worth 1.3
million shillings ($ 371). The cost of production on his
side was zero apart from his time since the demo plot
was fully funded through AFAP funds. As a result of
his commitment, Acila Enterprises allocated him the
funds earned to reinvest and also to buy some sachets
of Kilele, which he was to sell to neighboring farmers.
Ochakolong sold 109 sachets of Kilele F1, each of which
cost 62 000 shillings (approximately $17). Acila paid
him a commission 1000 Ugandan shillings ($0.02) per
sachet.

Having now discovered that farming could be
rewarding, Ochakolong embarked on a journey of
planting vegetables such as pumpkins, tomatoes,
okra and some maize. During March 2020, while
Ochakolong inspecting his Kilele_F1
tomato garden.
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