Page 154 - AFAP Success Stories 2020

“My main goal is to improve the livelihood of the farmers. I have even
registered a company called ESU Foods Uganda Ltd through which
I am providing training,” Ochakolong explained. “AFAP and Acila
Enterprises Ltd gave me a start and I am now the brand ambassador
for Syngenta in Arapai, Busitema. I also host trials for Syngenta for any
seeds they wish to test in Soroti,” he added.

To maintain soil fertility that would allow the continued growth of
nutritious and healthy crops, Ochakolong, like any other farmer, has
turned to fertilizers. However, with an influx of fake agrochemicals in
the country, as well as having witnessed his close friend being duped
into buying clay concealed as fertilizer, Ochakolong decided to keep
buying fertilizers from Acila Enterprises Limited.
“There are many agro-input shops but I prefer Acila because I am sure
of what I am buying,” Ochakolong explained.
His major challenge so far has been the unavailability of fertilizer and
transportation due to restrictions set up by the government to curb
the spread of COVID-19. Fertilizers such as Yara power were out of
stock most of the times and when Acila Enterprise’s stock ran out, he
found himself ordering fertilizers from Kampala, which took close to a
week to arrive since he had to wait for the cargo vehicle to reach Soroti.
The result was a delay in planting.

“My biggest lesson so far has been to work together with other
farmers,” Ochakolong added. “Some farmers know the best markets
to sell to and some are well informed about the current changes in
farming. This is very difficult to know as an individual farmer. When you
work together, you are able to avoid exploitation by middlemen who
buy your products cheaply and sell them expensively. I am a complete
agribusiness specialist now,” Ochakolong enthused.

His advice to the youth was to start small because you can never have
everything. “Don’t wait to get 10 million because you might never
start. What if you never get 10 million?” he asked.

Some of Ochakolong’s harvested crops ready for sale