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Kole, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The air is thick with humidity, and the ground is scattered with the tangled remains of fallen leaves. The well-manicured rows of trees sway rhythmically in the wind, welcoming you to Timo Fresh Fruit Farm. Tall green jackfruit trees stand side by side with pawpaw plants, rising from the earth like magical beanstalks.
On the other side of the farm, banana stems are weighed down with cascading bunches of green bananas, just out of reach. This 5.4-acre land stands as a testament to resilience and triumph amidst adversity, all thanks to Tom Otim Otile, a renowned accountant turned fruit farmer. Located in Kole District, Timo Fresh Fruit Farm specializes in jackfruit as the major crop, although the farm has other fruit trees like pawpaw (400 stems), avocado, different varieties of banana, and various vegetables.
Having returned from the UK in 2014, Otim Otile’s retirement plan included establishing a farm, and in 2016 he visited a fruit farm in Tanzania which inspired him to establish a jackfruit farm. Today Otim’s farm has a total of 365 jackfruit stems sitting across 3 acres of land.
His auditing firm; Timo Associates was the source of funding for establishing the firm.
“The thing is that for us, we even don’t know the varieties which are here. We just went to the nursery bed and we asked them for fene and they gave us….now, out of that, we realized some were good, some were bad so those ones which were bad, we cut them off while those ones which were good, we have retained.” He said.
A 35- meters deep solar- powered water pump with a capacity of 3,000 liters per hour supplies water to the entire farm; from the tanks, outlets are mounted on water pipes to irrigate manure pits which in turn enhances soil fertility. Community members surrounding the farm have free access to clean water.
The other innovation is the adoption of hospital drip lines for plant irrigation. These drip lines, attached to 20-liter jerrycans regulate water flow according to heat levels, ensuring consistent watering even during dry seasons.
The farm it’s self provides employment opportunities and technical knowledge to community members who shows interest in fruit farming. The farm has dedicated a jackfruit stem for religious leaders. Every harvest from this stem is given to ordained members of the community, fostering a sense of spiritual connection and giving back.
However, Otim doesn’t know which variety he has dedicated to religious leaders “it could even be a different variety because it is better than others. So, our intention is to look for a variety which is good and we promote it in the whole land so that we become a fene growing region.”
Currently, a jackfruit is being sold for about 10,000 Ugandan Shillings which Otim considers to be small considering the investments put in it. His dream is to add value to his produce by acquiring drying facilities for both the fruit and its outer cover to maximize profits. The covers can be used to feed animals.
“This fene has many uses; get the seeds, we get the fruits, and we get the outer cover. So, if God allows, if we get the dryer, we’ll dry all those and crush the outer cover for animals to eat.”
Adding “The seeds is for medicine and then the fruits are for people to eat. We want to consolidate those and see how we do for that. So, we are looking to get in touch with the Netherlands, whether they come and help us.”
However, the farm faces its share of challenges. Fungal diseases affecting the fruits, initially thought to be caused by fruit flies, and pests and diseases although mulching has proven to be a game-changer, significantly reducing these threats.
He envisions technical guidance from universities and hopes for government support to refocus programs like the Parish Development Model (PDM) towards such projects. “If government can allow through PDM; to bring farmers to come see and learn.”
Adding “I’m asking our Lira University, the vice-chancellor to take interest under the Department of Agriculture in promoting Fene, because I have all the research documents about Fene; how it has grown, how it moved, so that we have another alternative to cocoa.”
“People have gone so much into cocoa but Lira University should come and help people to grow Fene, because this here is an example that this land is good enough to grow Fene, and we can now move to the horizon.”
Otim’s dedication to jackfruit farming includes a plan to provide market opportunities for other local growers. By identifying the best jackfruit varieties, his farm aims to become a regional hub for excellence in fruit farming.
Fabias Otike, the Lira District Natural Resource officer underscored the importance of fruit trees in the fight against climate change and its effects saying as a district, Lira is now prioritizing growing of fruit tree.
Timo Fresh Fruit Farm Enterprise stands as a beacon of innovation, sustainability, and community empowerment. The journey highlights the potential of combining traditional practices with modern technology to create a sustainable future for farming across the country.
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