Along with the Planting for Hope team, Apollo is teaching the Kititi and Bukunda people to farm sustainably and market produce and crafts.

The land currently under his stewardship lies to the west of Lake Victoria in the Kyanamukaaka region in the Masaka District of south west Uganda.

At the mid-year point, Apollo is pleased to report ‘plentiful’ rains, which have replenished hope for many families in the Kititi area.

This comes as a major relief after the destructive hailstorms of autumn last year.

“Households managed to plant sweet potatoes, cassava, maize or beans,” said Apollo. “Given this planting effort, we envisage that by the end of this year more families will have two meals per day, except the elderly, sick and large or extended families.”

Charity aid from the Planting for Hope Uganda foundation has given villagers basic implements such as hoes and seeds to plant.

Apollo sees beans as an important crop in providing food production for households. This has been reinforced by vegetable planting work in the Hope House gardens.

Women from the Kititi cooperative clearing land for this year's sweet potatoes

Livestock Plans

Now the rainy season is over, Apollo is reflecting on the first half of the year, which brought the farm seven more piglets which are doing well.

Extension plans are afoot however, with Apollo eyeing up a new animal for the farm.

Seven healthy new piglets came in the June rains.

“We don't have any other livestock apart from the pigs but we intend to get some milking goats,” explained Apollo. “They yield so fast and can freely graze around, each goat is about 100 GB pounds.”

At £100 a goat, the villagers will require the aid of PFHU director, Kate Oakley. A goat is the equivalent of two acres of rented land.

“Renting of this land is for two seasons,” Apollo said. “In Uganda, we experience two rainy seasons/growing seasons and everyone gets busy in that time planting or sowing.”

One rented plot is a little over an acre and set the village back £35.

“Each crop season, we have rented the land UGP50 for two acres", he explained. "This land is planted with sweet potatoes and we do expect good yields.”

Tomatoes are currently ripening and are expected to be ready by the end of the month. These are a commercial crop and will be sold at market after they hopefully yield well, Apollo added.

Tomatoes will soon be ready to be sold at market

July 2014