Tired of meager payments by middlemen, one farmer from western Uganda has opted to banana (locally known as matooke) value-addition as a way of boosting his income.
By transforming bananas into flour, Winfred Kagwa has not only tripled his earnings but also protected himself from market gluts that commonly affect banana farmers in Uganda.
His success story serves as an inspiration to other farmers in the region, offering a way to increase profitability and address low market prices.
Middlemen exploitation and market challenges have plagued banana farmers in the Mbarara area, a leading matooke-producing region in Uganda into cycles of poverty.
Kagwa witnessed the struggles of fellow farmers and the dilemma of selling their bananas at low prices or leaving them to waste on the farms.
“As a matooke farmer, I have witnessed the sufferings of the farmers from the hands of middlemen. We are torn between selling the bananas to traders at a throwaway price or letting them waste on the farms,” he said.
His fortune changed when he attended a farmers’ empowerment workshop organized by the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS).
Inspired by success stories and learning from fellow farmers engaged in value addition, Kagwa decided to pursue his dream.
“I got in touch with other successful model farmers in Bushenyi who had adopted value addition in order to learn more and get tips for starting off,” said Kagwa on reflecting on his journey.
Kagwa initially struggled with marketing his banana flour. Priced higher than conventional maize and millet flour, it was not easily affordable for the majority of Ugandans.
However, he discovered a potential market segment and secured contracts with high-end food chain stores in Kampala.
“The market challenge is now fully covered, and currently, we are working on expanding our machinery to increase output,” he said.
His success story offers hope to other banana farmers in the region, as he aims to tap into their produce at better prices.
By offering competitive prices for their efforts, Kagwa hopes to empower farmers and improve their livelihoods.
He emphasizes the importance of boosting productivity, stating, “At first, it was a big hustle, but after realizing that the market for my high-value products was the rising middle class, I secured contracts with food chain stores in Kampala.”
