Opting for the backyard
Can Home Gardens Fix Kampala's Food Costs?
Written by: Rhonet Atwiine. Photography by Richard Mugambe
Monday, October 7, 2024
As dawn breaks in Kampala, the capital of Uganda, I arrive at Nakasero Market, one of the largest food markets in the country.
Currently, food prices in the city are rising rapidly. A meal that used to cost 5,000 UGX now sells for 10,000 UGX, a situation food vendors attribute to market scarcity.
I am here to investigate the causes of this scarcity and the resulting price hikes.
I meet Paul Aineamasiko, a tomato supplier, as he unloads his truck for the market vendors. He explains that farmers are experiencing significant losses due to changing and unpredictable weather patterns.
“When I incur losses in the garden, I naturally pass the costs onto the vendors to recover my profits. This, in turn, affects everyone who consumes the product,” he says.
Gerald Olina, one of the vendors who sources his stock from suppliers like Aineamasiko, notes that prices have become exorbitantly high, with each vegetable costing twice what customers had budgeted for.
“Tomatoes range from 5,000 to 20,000 UGX, depending on the quantity. The prices are high because tomatoes are out of season,” says Olina Gerald, a vendor at the market.
Tomatoes aren’t the only ones with high prices. Madina Nalubega sells two carrots for 1,000 UGX, while normally, each carrot would cost me between 100 to 200 UGX.
“It’s true, the carrot prices are higher than usual, but we don’t have a choice. Sometimes, I even have to sell a single carrot for 1,000 UGX, depending on its size,” she explains, packing carrots for her other customers.
Olina and Nalubega say that vegetable prices are rapidly increasing not only in their market but across various markets in Kampala like Karerwe, Usafi, and Nakawa.
I’ve come to realize that both farmers and vendors are united by one common factor: the shifting climate patterns that are affecting agricultural productivity.
Vendors on their stalls at Nakasero Market in Kampala
Food Production and Climate change
Uganda has one of the fastest-growing urban populations in Africa. Cities like Kampala are expanding rapidly, putting pressure on food systems and increasing the demand for fresh produce.
Today, food scarcity is a challenge, a situation worsened by changing climatic conditions, which has led to erratic weather patterns, including prolonged droughts and unpredictable rainfall, which damages or destroys crops, leading to food shortages and higher prices.
According to the Centre for Multilateral Affairs on the impact of climate change on food security in Uganda, climate change can have a significant impact on food security by altering the conditions in which food is grown and affecting the productivity of crops.
Additionally, climate change also leads to changes in the distribution and abundance of pests and diseases, which further threaten food production.
Droughts and floods are also becoming more frequent and severe, which damage crops and make it difficult for farmers to access water for irrigation.
These impacts of climate change are particularly severe in developing countries like Uganda, where many people depend on subsistence farming and are more vulnerable to changes in climate.
All this contributes to food insecurity in urban areas as rural agricultural production becomes less reliable threatening food security for millions.
To combat food insecurity and the high cost of fresh produce, urban farming initiatives are gaining traction in Kampala and other cities.
These initiatives not only provide fresh produce but also offer a sustainable solution to mitigate the impacts of climate change.
Urban farming involves the efficient use of space and techniques that yield higher crop outputs, such as backyard farming, rooftop gardens, and vertical farming.
It can be practiced even in small spaces like home balconies, making it accessible for urban slum dwellers who have limited land available for farming.
Patrick Lubega at his backyard garden in Kabojja outside Kampala.
On the outskirts of Kampala in Kabojja, Patrick Lubega is farming on less than a quarter of an acre.
He began with Sukuma Wiki vegetables two years ago and has since become a renowned backyard vegetable farmer, producing more than enough to meet his household’s needs.
“I grow vegetables at home, including tomatoes, spinach, spring onions, kale, parsley, carrots, green peppers, coriander, cauliflower, broccoli, and lettuce. I also raise rabbits, chickens, and other domestic animals,” shares Lubega.
He believes that people continue to buy expensive vegetables because they lack time to farm or confidence to start. Many think that farming requires a large piece of land and significant investment, which is not true.
Lubega notes that materials needed for urban farming are easily accessible. He personally uses polythene bags, bottles, jerrycans, and sacks collected from the neighborhood to grow his crops in his backyard.
“I chose vegetables because they are quick and high-yielding. You can start harvesting in a month or two. They do not take long, and you are not limited by changing weather patterns—you can plant anytime you want,” Lubega explains.
Lubega says the initiative has exceeded his expectations, with some of his produce now being sold at stalls in Nakasero Market to those who do not utilize their small backyards for farming.
The initiative has also spread through mentorship and training, reaching more than 20 neighbors and community members who have adopted the practice.
Dorothy Tibalimusinwa, is one of the trainees who received free seeds to start.
“Backyard farming is a great initiative. It saves a lot of money for the family. I haven’t visited a vegetable market in the last nine months because I get everything from my garden. I can use any amount of vegetables I want or even sell some,” she shares.
A view of Patrick Lubega’s backyard garden set up.
Tibalimusinwa’s neighbors have also benefited from the project as she shares urban farming techniques with them. So far, she has taught 10 of her friends, who have embraced and implemented the practices in their own homes.
Lubega and Tibalimusinwa are currently making unimaginable profits as they make more than one hundred thousand in a space of just three days depending on the demand of the vegetables.
The initiative has also created employment for five people working on the farm, including Namuddu Grace.
“I handle marketing for the vegetables, reaching out to markets and individual customers. When I make a sale, I get paid, which allows me to make independent decisions as a woman. I don’t have to rely heavily on my husband,” she shares while packing produce onto a car.
She adds, “The market is huge, and I make thirty thousand shillings daily because people love vegetables. Plus, I also get to enjoy the produce myself or share it with friends who visit, instead of giving them sugar or other items.”
However, like any initiative, urban farming has its challenges. The primary issue is crop security, as the farms are accessible to the community. Tibalimusinwa notes, “If you do not have enough security, crops can be stolen.”
Urban agriculture systems are vital parts of a sustainable food system that make food supplies more resilient to climate change.
Lubega adds that aside from theft, other domestic animals like chickens, goats, and cows can destroy crops since the farms often lack proper enclosures. Additionally, water supply is a significant challenge, as these vegetables require a lot of water to grow.
Urban agriculture has the potential to benefit cities environmentally and socially, but many cities lack clear guidelines or support systems for aspiring farmers.
“If you still have the energy to farm, start now. With everything becoming more expensive, farming allows you to save money for other needs,”Lubega concludes
We are Africa's first solution journalism newsroom producing immersive stories on innovations, models and systems that are working around Africa. We also work to produce alternative solutions stories to challenge negative narratives about the continent.