Kisoro Concern For

Farming and other Livelihood Projects

KCOMPO is implementing farming project majoring in Irish potatoes, beans, onions, vegetables and other crops which are palatable with the nature of soils in this place.

Irish potatoes, maize and beans are the major food crops in the communities surrounding Mount Muhabura and Mugahinga Gorilla National Park including other parts of Kisoro District. However in this farming project especially for Irish potatoes, it is sub divided into 3 core parts such as subsistence, sustainability and savings (3s). After harvesting, our harvest is sub divided into three parts, the Big sized, Moderate sized and small sized. The big sized are sold and money is injected into the Rukeri Batwa Development Association Saving Group which was started by the batwa and the purpose is to create a pull of funds to cater for unseen circumstances and eventualities.

The Moderate sized Irish potatoes are shared amongst members to go and cook at a household level, our purpose here is subsistence, we want them to have a feel of food that has come from their sweat other than first going to beg for it. In this we are motivating and inducing them to work hard. We want to break the dependency syndrome among the batwa and tell them to work hard to put meal on their tables other than waiting for money from tourists and NGOs. The small sized portion is kept as a seed to be kept and be planted in the next season, however at this level, careful post harvest management practices should be explored to make sure we do not totally loose the whole seed. This is done as a way of fulfilling our sustainability component because it’s not good to always request for seed to plant season in season out. The onions are grown as a cash crop and profits from this project are also injected in the farming savings group.

Scroll to top