As Uganda’s urban population keeps growing, so does its reliance on chemically-treated vegetables, posing health risks. In response, PELUM (Participatory Ecological Land Use Management), a regional network of over 250 civil society organisations in 12 countries in east, central and southern Africa is promoting ecological-friendly practices.
Experts recommend that an adult should consume at least 400g or five portions of fruit and vegetables daily for overall health and to reduce the risk of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke and cancer.
Owing to rural-urban migration, a large percentage of Ugandans has moved to urban centres, where most of the vegetables are grown with the help of agrochemicals away from rural areas, where most fruits and vegetables are grown organically.
Agrochemicals include: fertilisers to revive the productivity of the soil, pesticides to kill pests and herbicides to clear the land before cultivation, among others. Agrochemicals, according to food safety experts, are linked to different kinds of cancers.
Traditional methods
To reduce this risk, agricultural and nutrition experts are calling for the use of traditional methods while cultivating vegetables and fruits.
These methods include using ash to prevent pests and diseases that attack leafy vegetables, charcoal dust to increase water retention in the soil, animal urine as a fertiliser and decomposing food and plant waste, among others.
Organic market
To ensure sustainability, earth or organic markets have been introduced, according to Jude Sebuliba, the head of agroecological markets and business development at PELUM Uganda.
While launching them on May 29 for farmers and residents of Mukono district and surrounding areas at the district headquarters, Sebuliba explained that these markets will only vend food that has been produced, processed and preserved without any agrochemicals.
“We want exclusive agroecological markets, where people can have the confidence that they are eating non-chemicalised food. That is why we are supporting our small-scale farmers to set up these markets,” he added.
“The intrinsic value of what you are buying is not to feed the stomach, you are saving in terms of not getting sick. If looked at in that angle, these are affordable products,” he clarified.
One challenge he envisaged was that the current markets do not have systems that allow consumers to choose between agroecologically produced foods and non-agroecological foods or non-organic foods.
Most of the consumers, he explained, judge the items at face value, increasing the chances of a farmer who employed traditional farming methods, not earning a premium price.
Earth markets head reacts Noeline Nanyunya, the chairperson of Mukono district earth markets, said that earth markets are making available healthy food choices that have been produced based on the 13 principals of agroecology.
“We want to shift people from eating vegetables full of chemicals to eating chemical-free food, because there is a report that Mukono, Kampala and Wakiso districts are leading in selling vegetables full of chemicals; we want to change that mindset of our people,” she said.
Nanyunya added that for those who may not be interested in going for vegetables from common markets and are living far from earth markets, they can create their own vegetable gardens, starting with a one equivalent to a window size.
We believe that a vegetable garden should start from a window size.
“To prepare a window size garden. You dig and make sure the soil is fine. Apply nakavundira (organic manure, for vegetables like green amaranth or nakati or small seeded vegetables. Mix the seed with sand to separate the seed and then draw lines of your choice and plant the seed,” Nanyunya explained.
Beneficiary reacts
Dorothy Babirye joined the business six years ago and she sells sweet potatoes, bananas, garden eggs, yams and green leafy vegetables.
She started with two goats, which multiplied to 12 goats, but were unfortunately stolen. Despite the setback, she enjoys her work.
“Through these weekly markets, I am able to pay school fees for my children in time. When not in these markets, I sell some of the items from a small shop I have established back home,” Babirye said.
