Page 163 - AFAP Success Stories 2020

Potted tomato Kilele F1 for Ochakolong Ochakalong registered a 96% germination rate for his tomatoes in the new half-acre
site he set up. He learnt these skills during the COVID-19 pandemic with support from
AFAP and Syngenta.

youths through demand-creation activities. Ochakolong approximately USD 366 in a 40m x 20m plot. The proceeds
Esukaya, who is 23 years old, is one of the youth who has are placed in the university treasury, while Ochakolong,
benefited from Acila Enterprises Ltd, which is one of the meanwhile, prides himself on the skills and knowledge
AFAP-supported hubs in Eastern Uganda. he obtained during the project. Because of the amazing
yields from the demo garden, community members
Ochakolong Esukaya is a second-year agribusiness (the farmers) requested that Ochakolong provide them
management student at Busitema University, Arapai with seeds for planting. To date and with the help of
campus. This campus was selected to be one of the two Acila Enterprises Limited, he has sold 39 Sachets of Kilele
host farms for a demonstration garden that was set up in F1, each costing 62,000 UGX, which totals 2,418,000
the university grounds during the long rains (February to UGX, approximately 681 USD. He has been earning a
May 2020). commission of five hundred shillings per sachet sold,
approximately 0.14 USD. This has helped him to survive
Having been provided with 600 Kilele F1 tomato seedlings, during lockdown.
his dedication and care resulted in a 95% germination rate.
However, because of the community excitement, some “I don’t regret staying back when other students went back
farmers removed some of the plants from the garden. home. These skills I am learning are not taught but learnt
practically,” Ochakolong says.
Ochakalong registered a 96% germination rate for his
tomatoes in the new half-acre site he set up. He learnt While the rest of the students left school due to COVID-19,
these skills during the COVID-19 pandemic with support Ochakolong decided to stay behind, and hired land from
from AFAP and Syngenta. the school at 50,000 per acre. He has so far set up two
acres of pumpkins, two acres of maize and half an acre of
During his harvest in May, Ochalolong produced 1300kg the Kilele F1 tomato variety.
from the garden, which amounted to 1,300,000 UGX,

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