Caritas delegates have today made a tour to the fields of the farmers supported by Caritas Kabale Diocese in partnership with a number of funders. These farmers are in Maziba sub county in Kabale district, Muko Sub county in Rubanda district and Nyanamo Town Council in Kisoro district.
One group went to visit the pineapple farmers in Maziba sub county where Caritas Kabale Diocese supported the households to come together into a group of farmers called “Omunkiro Tukwataniise group” in Kavu Parish, Maziba Sub county. The group has 21 households and are engaged in pineapple growing.
Mr. Silvano Turyasiima, the chairperson of Omunkiro Tukwataniise Group expressed gratitude to Caritas Kabale Diocese for training the households with mindset change and the knowledge of modern farming methods for example manure making, agronomic practices like terraces, supplying them with tree seedlings to conserve the environment and fruit trees like Hass avocado to supplement food production. The group has learnt how to construct water tanks, modern cooking stoves that consumes less firewood this implementing the ‘laudato si’ by caring for mother earth.
The group thanked Director of Caritas Kabale Diocese (Fr. Vincent Byaruhanga) and the field officer (Mr. Mbishinzimana Tom) for training the households in modern farming practices and delivery of items for domestic use.
Mr. Silvano highlighted some of the challenges face by the farmers which include land fragmentation (scattered pieces of land) crop pests and diseases and rodents which eat up suckers. However, Caritas Kabale Diocese has tried to mitigate the situation with intervention methods. He however noted that with support of Caritas Kabale Diocese, farmers have improved their standards of living (constructing better houses), looked after their families, pay school fees for their children, eating healthy among others.
The farmers have an already existing market because they partnered with Caritas Kabale Diocese for value addition whereby they supply them with pineapples which are used to produce Kadio Fruit Drink, manufactured by the Registered Trustees of Kabale Diocese at Rushoroza Hill.
Another group of the Caritas delegates went to tour Caritas projects in Rubanda and Kisoro districts. Residents of Nyanamo Town Council in Kisoro districts received cheap water harvest technology with support from Caritas Kabale Diocese. According to Mrs Annette Tushemerirwe a beneficially of the rain water harvest underground technology tanks, Caritas has saved the households from the burden of access to safe and clean water at a relatively cheap price.
Over 28 households in different groups have benefitted from this project that was implemented by Caritas in Kabale Diocese with support from the Foundation for Community Development and Empowerment (FCDE) and Confluence Institute of East Africa (CIEA). According to Ms. Amerius Nkesiga the project officer in charge of this area, the intention is to boost livelihoods with clean water and improve crop production.
The project is among the other humanitarian response projects implemented by Caritas including improved potato diffused light stores which have improved the quality of irish potato production by maintaining seed quality. The diffused light stores have been constructed in Hakabaya village, and Karengyere both in Muko Sub county in Rubanda district.
The two field visits were concluded with a tour to the processing plant (factory) for value addition at Rushoroza Hill which produces Kadio Fruit Drink. Two products are made by this factory (carbonated and non carbonated drinks). Non carbonated fruit drink is a drink made from pineapple and passion fruit juice and the target consumers are those who prefer natural sugars like school going children. Carbonated fruit drink is processed from pineapple peelings and their juice is fermented to produce an alcoholic drink (15% alcohol content).
The Caritas Week which started on Wednesday, April 9 will conclude with Pontifical Mass on Sunday, April 13, 2025 in Rushoroza Cathedral where the hosts of the 16th National Caritas Week Celebrations for 2026 will be unveiled.