2011, a year of pineapples, peanuts and proud moments

Thank you so much for your support which, in 2011, has provided amongst other things….

40,000 pineapple plants

28,000 coffee seedlings

12,813 kgs of ground-nut seeds

In 2011 we entered into a partnership with Send a Cow Uganda, who run fabulous programmes with farmers groups. One of the challenges they face is supporting farmers’ transition from subsistence to commercial farming.  Seeds for Development are helping fill that gap by advancing their farmers seeds and other things, such as pineapple suckers!  Pineapples take 18 months to produce fruit and generate an income, so it is really important that the farmers benefit from Seeds for Development, as we are not in a hurry to be repaid!  We are now working together with 10 groups in northern Uganda, which brings the total of Seeds for Development groups to 14.

One of these groups is made up of around 40 teenage mothers.  I met them in March and it was really hard to see all these young girls with babies and no education or support.  Several of the girls were just 13 when they had their first (oh yes, they don’t just have one) baby.

We have pledged to support them as best we can and we plan to advance them seeds and other inputs in March next year.

You might be asking what on earth are we doing with coffee seedlings… earlier in the year I attended a Leadership programme in Kampala along with farmer Patrick from Olwal, Timothy from Send a Cow Uganda and Paddy who works with our original farmers in Mpigi.  We were also joined by British entrepreneur Rob Bernard-Weston!

We spent a week working on a project to identify new income generating activities.  We quickly realised that there were 2 huge opportunities for us around coffee… firstly, to bring existing Mpigi coffee farmers together as a group and secondly to start commercial coffee growing in the north.

It takes 3 years for a coffee tree to start earning its keep and produce enough beans – but as with the pineapples, the farmers are patient and so are we.  The first thing the farmers did after the Pepal programme, was to go back and talk to the community to see if there is an interest – a resounding YES.  
Paddy has signed up 200+ farmers (already Seeds for Development farmers) ready and willing to collaborate and work together.  Patrick has 280+ farmers (also Seeds for Development farmers) signed up and ready to go.  

We were delighted that Seeds for Development could advance the money to grow 28,000 coffee seedlings and Timothy now has the lovely job of planting and growing them until they can be planted out in March!  Good luck Timothy… 

This new venture will be somewhat unique.  The farmers will set up, own and manage their coffee company.  They will produce excellent coffee, in excellent conditions and treat their growers and families in an excellent way.  Bet you can’t guess what it’ll be called…..

You got it….  The Excellent Coffee Company!

Watch out for excellent coffee coming to a store near you – but don’t hold your breath!

On top of all this excitement we had 2 big farmer visiting trips to Uganda this year.  The first in March included nearly a week in Gulu meeting all the new farmers and spending time with Timothy from Send a Cow.  In November, I went with fellow trustee Sally and her husband Ed and introduced them to the many projects that we now have underway.  There was much celebrating including us planting trees to mark the occasion.

In the past I have updated you on how our original farmers were improving their homes and sending their children to school.  They have moved up a league and are now building businesses in the local town – like this row of 3 shops…  Our challenge now is to move the successful farmers out of the project to allow new farmers to join.  

What a great challenge to have!

So after an amazing 4^th year in existence, we see that Seeds for Development works and will continue to grow, expand, diversify and work and work and work… There is so much more I could share with you but there is only so much a person can take… thank you for reading this far…

Without you this wouldn’t be possible, so thank you so much for your ongoing support in whatever way it is.  We continue to pay our expenses and send all the money to the farmers!

One last thing… meet my namesake Alison (the cow, not Jennifer, the beautiful farmer!).  The farmers at Parabongo received this cow from Send a Cow Uganda!  I am taking this as a huge compliment (despite what my brother says!)

Enough is enough.  

Thank you again and 

very best wishes to you,

Alison

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