Fourteen years ago, Joweria Ssekiyanja started distributing orange sweet potato vines to her neighbours in Nyimba sub-county, Luweero district.
Then, Ssekiyanja, contracted by HarvestPlus as one of the change agents in the area, sold the potato vines at a give-away price of Shs 1,000 per sack. For her, it was more of voluntary work in her role as a local council leader than a drive to make money.
She says she earns at least Shs 4 million per month from the trade. With support from HarvestPlus, a non-government organization, Ssekiyanja formed Bagya Basaaga Potato Growers and Processers Association, which has more than 500 smallholder farmers.
Ssekiyanja's breakthrough is attributed to the successful campaign of introducing biofortified food crops like orange sweet potatoes to smallholder farmers in a bid to boost nutrition and food security.
The 48-year-old mother of nine has sold vines to non-government organisations such as Plan International, Save the Children, World Vision, Karitas and Foodnet, among others and these organisations distribute vines to poor farmers as part of their biofortication campaign, which is aimed at fighting hunger, malnutrition and boosting household incomes.
source: allafrica.com
