The sharing of knowledge and experiences with farming communities is a cornerstone of Starke Ayres’ activities in Uganda. To achieve this, as many opportunities as possible are taken over the course of the year. These may take the form of demonstrations, field days, agricultural expos, formal training sessions and more. Every contact with growers gives a chance not only to teach, but also to learn. Some of the highlights of the past year are described below.
The Harvest Money Expo at Kololo grounds, Kampala - Central Uganda
Located in the heart of Kampala City, the event attracted both urban dwellers and farmers from peri – Urban centres. The event took place on 10 – 12 February 2023. Visitors showed keen interest not only in the vegetable varieties but also the range of flowers, lawn grasses and herbs on display.
A product that drew the attention of many people was the red pepper Duke. This is a hybrid which is known for its’ beautiful, smooth, glossy, 200-210g fruit, high yields and excellent shelf-life even when picked at deep red colour.
Gang Pur Field Day at Okir Innovation Farm, Nwoya– Northern Uganda
of its kind in the Northern region. Demonstration plots had been established from November the previous year, timed to be at their peak for the day. The one-day event was packed with visitors and the timing was perfect, creating huge impact at the onset of the rainy season. Stars of the show were onion Yakuti, pepper Duke, watermelon Tiger F1 and tomato STAR 9065 amongst others.
Yakuti was the champion of the show and it showed early maturity, uniform medium to large bulbs and excellent general quality. It was a favourite choice of the main guest at the event, Mr. Chris Omara, Resident District Commissioner for Nwoya district.
3. The Eastern Agricultural Show (TEAS) at Awoja Riverside Farm and Leisure Park, Soroti – Eastern Uganda (23rd -26th March 2023)
The theme for the second edition of this show was Climate Action for Sustainable Agricultural Productivity.
The attendance was again excellent and visitors to our demonstration plots were treated to a guided choice of the right seed, good agronomic practices and one on one interactions with our agronomists. These contacts led to follow-up training being given at farmers’ gardens. This aligned perfectly with the objective of technical support to enhance successful farming ventures with Starke Ayres products. TEAS has four main objectives which were successfully achieved:
-To train farmers and extension workers on agricultural technologies.
-To strengthen farmers’ resilience and adoption of climate smart technologies.
-To create sustainable market opportunities for agricultural inputs and value-chain products.
-To engage schools and the youth in agricultural production.
