How primary four leaver has become a model farmer in Arua

Arua, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | After inheriting a 10-acre piece of land from his deceased father more than a decade ago, 47-year-old Kefa Ondoma found himself faced with the challenge of determining how best to utilize the land. Located in Chiaba Parish, Logiri Sub County, in Arua District, the fertile land sits on the slope of a volcanic hill, now home to a variety of crops, including bananas, Arabica coffee, maize, cassava, and pine trees.

Ondoma explained that he was forced to drop out of school, get married, and focus on cultivating the land his father left behind. He began by planting local varieties of Matooke (bananas), maize, and coffee, which brought in high yields. This success motivated him to expand the land he farmed. To ensure the land’s sustainability, Ondoma started mulching and practicing contour cultivation. These techniques helped preserve water, control weeds, and enrich the soil by adding manure using grass, banana leaves and stems.

Over the past 10 years, Ondoma has consistently received high yields, attracting the attention of agriculturalists and environmentalists who have come to study his farming methods.

Ondoma’s son, Francis Yiki, who works on the farm, shared how his father’s guidance inspired him to develop a passion for farming. This guidance has also enabled him to pursue education, with hopes of becoming an engineer.

David Atiku, the Agricultural Extension Worker and Acting Production Officer for Logiri Sub County commended farmers like Kefa for their dedication and success. He mentioned that the sub-county continues to support such farmers through the provision of new technologies and seeds.

John Bosco Odama, the LC 3 Chairman of Logiri Sub County, highlighted the support farmers receive from the government through initiatives like Operation Wealth Creation and the Parish Development Model. He emphasized that these farmers have demonstrated their capability and commitment to their enterprises.

Logiri Sub County has become the food basket for the greater Arua region and neighboring South Sudan, particularly Juba, with much of the food produced by traditional farmers who have become role models. According to records from the production office, over 150 progressive farmers in Logiri are utilizing their land to produce a variety of crops for both domestic use and as cash crops.

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