Grace Nabisubi is a remarkable female smallholder farmer hailing from Bugogo-Bulumbu village in Kasanje sub county, Wakiso district. Grace, a member of the Mirembe Development Farmers Group, has experienced remarkable success in her farming endeavors through her dedication and training from Caritas Kampala’s Sustainable Agriculture project. Her story is truly inspiring and highlights the potential of confined space farming and permaculture practices.
Living as a peri-urban farmer, Grace counts herself fortunate to have access to one acre of land solely dedicated to agriculture. Settled in the suburbs of Kampala city, she recognized the importance of focusing on enterprises with readily available markets. With this in mind, Grace decided to venture into the cultivation of various vegetables such as onions, spinach, leafy cabbages, and carrots. Additionally, she also cultivates sweet potatoes, bananas, and cassava.
Grace Nabisubi showing some of the vegetables she cultivates on her land
Grace’s farming enterprises are supported by a dairy project where she keeps cows for milk production and utilizes the bioslurry for soil fertility management. Despite the limitations of her land size, Grace maximizes her yields by implementing crop rotation techniques for all the selected enterprises. Her strategic planning ensures that each season is divided accordingly, allowing her to maintain a diverse and thriving farm.
Among her various crops, sweet potatoes hold a special place in Grace’s heart. With her expertise, she consistently produces at least six sacks of sweet potatoes, each fetching Shs. 140,000. For cassava, she prefers selling it in weekly batches, generating a steady income of Shs. 20,000.
Grace also collaborates with other group members to collectively sell their backyard vegetables, enabling her to earn at least Shs. 100,000 monthly. The dairy cow in Grace’s farm produces an impressive 12 liters of milk per day, and she sells the milk at Shs. 2,000 per litre, contributing significantly to her overall income.
Left: Cow dung & urine are collected to make bio-slurry Right: Mixing of bio-slurry before application
Through her dedication and hard work, Grace has managed to sustain a livelihood despite the challenges posed by urbanization. Her success story has become a beacon of inspiration for the entire community. Grace Nabisubi’s journey in agriculture exemplifies the transformative power of knowledge, determination, and sustainable practices. Her commitment to confined space farming, permaculture, and smart enterprise selection has not only ensured financial stability but also provided a blueprint for others to follow. Grace’s story reminds us that with the right skills and perseverance, smallholder farmers can thrive and become catalysts for change in their communities.
Download Issue No.2 of the Model Farmer in Sustainable Organic Agriculture, 2024.