Laureene Reeves Ndagire, Maria Schiffer and Simon Sembajwe in Kampala.

My week has kept me so busy that I haven't even watched a single European football match. I just saw that Germany won against Belgium, but I have no idea what that means for the team (lol). Besides the fact that I never understood what offside really is, I have so many other things filling my time at the moment.

Building an enterprise that promotes and offers indigenous, healthy, and organic products to the market, grown by and for the people, seems like such a logical cycle in theory, especially with over half of the continent's population working in the agricultural sector. But in practice, is it really achievable? As I learned in the past few weeks, many people don’t even understand what "organic" means. When I walk through the local markets and see very little diversity (in some areas more or less than others), knowing that most of the vegetables and fruits are sprayed with chemicals (DDT is still in use to fight mosquitoes in some parts of Africa), I wonder: Is transitioning to growing regeneratively with more diversity, or even just organically, possible here? Is there a market for it? Do people even want to grow healthy alternatives? Am I maybe wasting my time?

The organization GIZ, which is also developing organic training hubs in Africa, have found that the transition to sustainable agriculture could succeed if both farmers and customers in local markets understand the benefits of organically produced food.

Discovering what people want to grow and eat, and what solutions will truly take root, will definitely be an organic process that requires time and patience.

The other day, Nina Tibaleka, a partner I’m working with, called me me up excitedly. She had stumbled over a farmer on the outskirts of Kampala who was growing organically on his property and training other farmers to do the same. “You should meet him, but he only speaks Luganda,” she added. I jumped at the opportunity and reached out to the regenerative farmer, Laureene Reeves Ndagire, from Eran farmhouse, to see if she wanted to visit him with me.

When you enter Simon Sembajwe’s small property—technically not a farm—you see the fruits of seven years of self-education and experimentation in organic farming on a very small space. He harvests rainwater and collects rabbit urine to use as pesticide, has various piles of compost from different sources, raises black soldier flies to produce natural fertilizer, and practices intercropping and permaculture—all on the small premises around his home. He’s even developed a natural and organic pesticide, recently approved by the government, that is about to hit the market. He offered us cake and pulled out his iPad to show us photos of his different harvests. His organic tomatoes, in particular, looked AMAZING!

“To grow good tomatoes conventionally, you need to spray. Literally every week. Farmers also spray them before bringing them to the market to extend shelf life. People even consume tomatoes directly from the garden with the chemicals on them,” Laureene explains and continues,

“The harmful effects of chemicals on health are something that needs widespread education.”

Beside the fact, that I will stop buying tomatoes, when I look at these pictures of beautiful, tasty organic tomatoes, why do people prefer to buy expensive chemicals instead of learning to grow organically? Simon and Laureene broke it down for me: with chemicals, you’re buying a ready product—you put it in your knapsack and spray.

“With organic, you have to be intentional. You need to harvest the urine, use ash, and intentionally grow certain foods like chili peppers or garlic to make pesticides. People don’t have that time; they want quick returns. Organic farming requires patience.”

Simon in his small garden in Kampala where he practices permaculture.

Simon even sells live soil microbes to enhance growth and is willing to give them away for free to help farmers transition to organic farming. But not everyone wants them. “The farmer needs to understand and really want it,” he explains. Because the first year’s harvest might be smaller than with chemicals, but that changes over time. If you focus only on immediate results, you miss out on long-term benefits.

Laureene recounted how she experienced a particular organization giving seeds and seedlings to mothers to grow, only to find that some hadn’t planted anything. “Oh, I got busy,” they’d say. “The government has also been giving out free inputs, like oranges or mangos, in Kenya, only for people to neglect them,” she added.

“We shouldn’t just throw resources at people. Instead, we need to identify those willing to put the effort in and support them first,” Laureene explains.

“People are tired of organizations promising solutions or handing out free things they don’t fully understand how to use or implement.” Long-lasting solutions need time, often more than many budget cycles of donors allow. Additionally, biscuits and sodas have become so common at NGO trainings and gatherings that community members sometimes complain when they aren’t provided, something I have personally experienced, even though the meetings are meant to improve their lives. If no sodas or biscuits are being offered, some people won't show up.

So, to be clear, I asked Simon what he thinks is the solution: Identify model farmers and train them first. He could sell them his natural products, but they are expensive. With proper, long-term training and coaching, farmers can gain holistic knowledge and be better off in the long run.

I know change is possible. I’m knocking on doors nonstop to find solutions and to get started, but I also know that not every door opens right away. I believe in taking action and then allowing things to happen organically. It’s the harder way, but I believe it will yield the greater harvest.

Thanks for being here and keep on growing and moving!

Maria

Organically Growing Business

COOKING FOR CHANGE

Amidst Cassava, Banana Trees, Passion Fruits, and Mango Trees, I See a Light