In 2019, Natural Resources Defense Initiative (NRDI) in collaboration with Leaf II Project embarked on a process of restoring buffer zones along River Semuliki in Ntoroko District.
Ntoroko District is a dry area and predominantly the major economic activity by residents in that area is cattle keeping. Due to the dry climate, there is a challenge of accessing clean water sources for the cattle a reason why a majority of pastoralists end up bringing their cattle to the River to access clean water.
Omuhereza Tibakanya a resident of Ntoroko approached NRDI during that period when the organization was working on restoration of buffer zones on River Semuliki and requested for assistance to start up a model farm on her land.
NRDI accepted and decided to help Tibakanya to start up a model farm which was the first of it’s kind in Bweramule Sub county Ntoroko District.
NRDI thus gazzeted one acreage of land and extended a mini irrigation demonstration scheme which the farmer was to use to water her perennial crops.
According to Tibakanya, this was a dream come true because she had always wanted to practice farming but was being limited by failure to access water.
It is now two years down the road and Tibakanya has become a renown vegetable farmer in the entire District.
Her vegetable garden that just started as a demonstration site has earned her a living which she least expected.
“I can now sell vegetables of approximately Shilling 700,000 in a month and this has helped me a lot to sustain my family, I’m so grateful to NRDI for assisting me achieve my dream,” she said.
According to Mr. Edgar Muganzi the team leader NRDI, the the organization constructed on over head water tank where they are using solar panels to pump water. To him, this system is effective and it can be used to support Agriculture which can become an alternative economic activity in the area since most residents are predominantly pastoralists.
He says this technology can be adopted throughout the District by other residents who are interested in farming since the District has fertile soils.