Agricultural Training for South Sudanese refugees
CRESS aims to increase food security for the South Sudanese refugee families by delivering training to improve nutrition and provide income generation from growing vegetables using sustainable organic techniques.
Our Agriculture Training project, based at Kasengi Riverford Organic Centre (KROC) in Kampala, seeks to train instructors who can then support Sudanese refugee farmers and supply them with the necessary tools and seeds for their first crop. The project focuses on horticulture and the growing of a variety of vegetables, successfully and sustainably.
One of the organic methods used is the making of plant based compost. The picture here shows some of the members of Point E group in Imvepi refugee camp with their finished compost heap. Having relied previously on animal manure on their farms in South Sudan and having lost all their cattle during the civil war and fleeing to safety, this represents a real achievement for them.
A wide variety of vegetables are promoted and grown in both the group gardens and individual home gardens. The picture here shows the garden for the Joyful group and has the three vegetables mostly grown which are onions, cabbages and tomatoes. These represent one variety each from leaf/root/fruit vegetables categories. The farmers are trained to use crop rotation which prevents pest build up and enables efficient use of soil nutrients.
Each farmer will look to cascade their knowledge within their respective communities and will be given advice and monitored throughout the growing season to ensure success.
Agriculture Stories
Above all, we eat healthy vegetables and have meals 2-3 times a day. Our children are happy and healthy because there is food at home. The projects, gave us hope
that we would get whatever we have lost to the war in South Sudan. Life without the support from CRESS, would have been very difficult and unbearable. We thank God, all the household belongings, vegetables, paying medical bills and education of our children are possible because of CRESS support through the projects.
Healthy Diets Save Lives
This is Jane Kiden who is a member of Hope Group 1 based in Imvepi refugee settlement.
When asked what impact the group garden has had on her she said ‘I have learnt how to plant vegetables on my own, and I can sell vegetables for family expenses.
When asked how the garden can help her more she said ‘now I have permanent knowledge on vegetable growing and eating a healthy diet. This knowledge will help me to educate my children when we return to South Sudan once peace is realised’.
Esther Ide (pictured) and Silvia Poni are members of Hope Group 2 based near Mijale.
She said that the ‘impact from the group garden is obtaining skills and knowledge which is a goodness’ and ‘the group garden is helping me as a family, I was able to lead my own family’.
Silvia Poni said that she has now the knowledge of planting vegetables, and that she will be able to stand on her own even if peace returns to South Sudan knowing how to plant vegetables in a small piece of land.’
Joyful group is also based in the refugee settlement near Mijale.
Yongale Jesilen said ‘I was able to use compost on a small plot of land and am now able to enter the savings program. I hope in the future to buy goats and chickens for my family’.
Jane Kuyunge said ‘I was able to pay for my child in school and also buy her school uniform. I hope to build a permanent house, and also to pay for a cow’.
Alice Kuyunge said ‘we are now eating a variety of vegetables, and are able to save money to cater for unforeseen cases such as sickness. I am hoping to buy a goat and to pay for my children in school providing all their necessary requirements for learning’.
