TechnoServe Uganda's Project -- Learning a Lifetime's Worth about Matooke Bananas
From the 20th to 24th of August, 2007, Rick and I learned about the
key (to date) TechnoServe Uganda project
underway there:
organizing farmers of Matooke (ma-TOH-kay) bananas which is the
country's main staple. We traveled with the son of TechnoServe's
founder who was on assignment also for Uganda's Country Director...
Also, please read more details below the pictures about our field visits to the the matooke farmers.
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Ntungu West was
the 1st of 3 villages we visited near Mbarara in western Uganda to
understand from the small matooke farmers (Above Far L) |
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addition to improved matooke production, the improved pricing has
enabled farmers to diversify their crops and add livestock to
increase family incomes. (2 rows above Far R) Ntungu's Chairman has added a few dairy cattle. (Above Far L) a widow was able to use the manure from her dairy cow and the money from its milk to enter potato farming at an additional profit. (Above L) Beans were purchased to store then sell at future, higher prices. (Above & Far R) Wendy demonstrates that goats have been purchased to sell as meat. The polka dot kid almost flew back to Nairobi with us he was soooooo cute and cuddly--for under $10 which would be a profit for the farmers! |
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Above on Far L and going R, you can see the lifecycle of matooke and
typically other eating and dessert bananas. Small planations with 3-pronged banana palms produce 2 bunches (even up to 100 kg!) per year. The bud below the "fingers" drops off to allow the water and nutrients to focus on the fruit (as shown next to real people, including the hostess of the 3rd farmer's meeting (1 of the increasing number of farmers with cell phones!). |
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Above Far L to R, bunches are cut the day of pick up and arranged
for easy insertion into the truck for delivery at higher prices to
Kampala. Less fortunate, non-TechnoServe farmers send someone with matooke to ride/push a bicycle to typically chaotic local markets. |
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The benefits to the TechnoServe-organized farmers are healthier,
better educated families (Above Far L) with diverse incomes who work
together with neighbors to negotiate their future in a united front (Above L & R). The last village, Rwombabana, we visited was hosted by a widow (in tan print dress with glasses) who had started with almost nothing then planted/expanded matooke and added cows and goats. |
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Mon., August 20
This morning we visited the TechnoServe office to meet Bartholomew and Mabel who support the Mbarara matooke farmers. We then went to the Mbarara office of the local Millennium Villages program (catalyzed by the world-famous economist, Jeffrey Sachs) to hear a presentation for two deputy ministers, a director of planning, and other government officials.
Overall, we all the farmers we met were extremely grateful to TechnoServe and taught us so much about matooke, dessert/roasting bananas, livestock, and the Ugandan culture. For instance.:
- Banana palms grow 2 bunches from 3 stalks annually, called the grandmother, mother and baby stalks. The grandmother bears the 1st bunch then is pruned back along with others’ dead leaves. The mother bears the 2nd bunch 6 months later. To allow greatest productivity for the next year, the best-placed daughter is selected from several possible little stalks.
- Ugandans do not eat eggs so raise and slaughter chickens only to eat their meat—apparently they suspect anything emerging from birds.
- Goats are also for meat only.
- Despite their also raising dairy cows, Ugandans generally only drink the milk and do not process or eat cheese, yoghurt, etc.
- Animal skins are dried to be sold but the hair and feathers don’t seem to be used in by-products such as yarn.
- Despite the abundance of matooke, up to 40% of the children in the region are malnourished because their diet lacks enough protein and is so high in starch.
1ST FARM GROUP. After lunch at our hotel we drove to meet with farmers from in the Ntungu West Group in Ntungu Parish, Nyakitunda Sub-County to see the progress and hear their challenges. Farmers this year in particular face price and weather fluctuations e.g., wind and recent hailstorms, which have impacted matooke pricing badly as well as destroyed parts of their crops. Thus they have a hard time paying school fees and bank loans due to the low harvest now. They were pleased to be in the organization because everyone suffers but also benefits from maintaining the group businesses. Prior to TechnoServe, it was hard to get funding, but now they can receive and service loans, get better prices, and diversify as a group. The smallest farmers particularly benefit because they get the same prices for their produce as large volume farmers. In fact, despite low prices due to having to cut down many bunches from wind-damage, the group achieves much better pricing than non-members and have even started their own savings & loan program to help the village buy manure, add land and buy a dairy cow. All of the group members confirmed that they were now able to afford school fees for their children or even send them to better institutions.
There were many interesting stories. One farmer, who is also the local matooke trader, rents a truck to make 4 trips per week to market. He has bought goats and keeps them with a new dairy cow and some chickens. His goal is to buy his own truck, but to prove his “loan-worthiness” he is told he must start keeping records of his crops and other income sources. In a different story, one woman member bought a cow which died a few months later. But she had earned enough from milk and had harvested some manure so that she could successfuly plant a good crop of Irish Potatoes. She has now banded with 2 other women, using the TechnoServe matooke business model to grow and sell potatoes at a good profit.
Tues., August 21
In the morning we met with the District Supervisor of Mbarara Agri-Products, a partner of TNS UG. After discussing the history and current status of the matooke bananas, milk and other products in her region, we suggested possible efforts to build demand the use of milk, e.g.: pilot free milk in schools, create combined processed products like banana milk shakes, and since Mbarara is the leading matooke district in Uganda, maybe even brand the bananas ala Chiquita.
2ND FARM GROUP: Next we visited the Kibaya group, in Bugashe Parish, who previous to TNS had been organized by various government agencies. Its Chairman has 25 goats, 2 cows and a relatively large matooke plantation. Attendees included only 1 woman, the chairman's wife, who was responsible for the feeding and upkeep of their 2 cows. In late 2006, their TNS group started with 20 members--now there are 34 with more applicants all the time.
We started to hear similar patterns about the positive impacts of being organized into marketing groups, such as better pricing, but there were a few unique stories. One member with large plot but poor house had been selling a few bunches here and there. But he stopped selling piecemeal bunches after actively joining group, which has already loaned him money to improve his house with sheet metal delivered from Kampala by a truck used by the group. Besides home improvements, bicycle purchases, and school fee payments, the group savings has provides “soft” loans to add other areas of business, e.g.: coffee, which sold at profit; beans which they are storing until can be sold at higher price; and additional cows and goats. Also because the group’s reputation has grown, other NGOs approach them with new benefits and the government has provided highly subsidized loans for crop improvement. Best of all the Kibaya group is ranked #1 by sub-county leadership, with #2 being another international NGO, Compassion Intl.
3RD FARM GROUP: Our final visit was to Rwombabana group in Kamushoko Parish, started by TNS February 2007. They already have 44 active members who have produced to date 17,283 bunches--in only 7 months. A Ugandan government agency has donated about 60 goats among 4 groups and 10 beehives. Since they have been TNS-organized, they have achieved 100% improved pricing: Uganda Shillings 2,000 per bunch vs. 1,000. They feel that together they have become one united voice for better bargaining power (much better than non-members!) and empowered with knowledge, skills, and development (i.e., have enough food, increased incomes, members help each other). They have constructed water tanks and begun water-harvesting, given tours to other interested groups, pooled savings to help each other, and helped their communities by hiring local laborers and improving product quality for consumers.