By Moses Muwulya,Communications Officer
RAKAI. Residing in Lwoyo B,Lwamagwa sub-county,Rakai District. Sula Muwanguzi hails from a neighbourhood famously known for flourishing banana plantations. Any first time visitor in this area would have his attention grabbed by the large scale plantations owned by different families.
However, as you traverse deeper in the village,Muwanguzi’s backyard farming gives your eyes another captivating scene.The 18-year-old grows vegetables in his parents’ compound. A look at them grows one to wonder on a number of unique things.
From the unique and creative style of gardening in a seemingly rocky compound to the the flourishing vegetables despite being a dry season,among other questions.
A closer look at Muwanguzi’s cabbages.
As you wonder about this,Muwanguzi tells you: ” what you see is just a small indicator of the benefits I got from Kitovu Mobile farm school where I was equipped with modern farming skills”
Muwanguzi’s nursery bed raised to mitigate pests as learnt from farm school.
“We learnt how to do farming in a small space and get big yields,harvesting water for irrigation to allow continuous production as well as counselling peers on matters relating to fighting HIV” Muwanguzi shares.
This is why his crops are amazingly good despite being a dry season because he harvested water which he uses to irrigate them as Muwanguzi notes, before lauding Kitovu Mobile for constructing for him a ground water tank.
Muwanguzi says the decision to join farming after completing primary seven at Kiwumulo Primary School is nothing to regret for.
” I was not good in academics and farming was my best alternative because I had grown up helping my parents in this field” Muwanguzi shares,saying joining the Mobile Farm helped him professionalise his passion.
A specialist in maize,and backyard farming, Muwanguzi,who graduated last year, has since emerged a counsellor giving counselling services to his peers.
He speaks with ego,which makes youth think he is blowing his own trumpet but Ahmed Mukuga,a community facilitator attests to this
“He is our counsellor in Twezimbe mobile young farmers group” and has to taught many youths on behavioral change so as to lessen their chances of getting HIV.
He also teaches them on modern farming in what is referred to as transfer of knowledge;and vivid testimonies can be seen from the neighbourhood whose primary seven child established a sack cabbage plantation in the compound.
His earnings
In a season,Muwanguzi says he can a minimum of shs 170,000 after selling vegetables and eggs from his hens.
Move to get more skills
Muwanguzi has since used farming returns to equip himself with building and constructions skills. ” I want to be multi skilled so as to thrive in life”
On how to juggle farming and building,Muwanguzi says he will get casual workers to attend to his gardens and these would be working with his parents who have been supportive right from the beginning.
His father,Mr Ali Bajuzilizi speaks in affirmative. ” I will help him because I also want him to become completely sustain himself”
Bajulizi could not find better words to thank Kitovu Mobile for training his son who had fetched him fears over his future after refusing to continue with formal education