Chili for Change | Action Against Hunger

Refugees in Uganda Fight Malnutrition with New Farming Techniques

Uganda is home to Africa’s largest refugee population. Today, nearly 1.7 million refugees and asylum seekers have settled in the country after fleeing conflict, food insecurity, climate shocks, and other crises.

Rugwira John Baptist is one of these refugees. He fled the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2009 due to extreme political instability and violence. He was forced to leave his entire life behind — including some family and friends — to start life anew in Uganda. Today, he lives with 11 of his children in the Nakivale Refugee Settlement.

When Rugwira arrived in Uganda, he was met with unexpected challenges. The continuous influx of refugees has compromised Uganda’s health system and food security, and families across the country suffer from malnutrition. Although Rugwira was given a temporary shelter and plot of land, he lived day- to- day, struggling to feed his large family.

The COVID-19 pandemic only made things worse for Rugwira. Country-wide restrictions prevented Rugwira and his then-pregnant wife to meet their needs. But when our teams met Rugwira shortly after, we immediately supported his family and enrolled them in a nutrition program.

“I kept following what they taught me about nutrition, and eventually, I developed an interest in innovative farming,” Rugwira said. Through Action Against Hunger’s training, Rugwira learned how The Optimized Land Use Model (OLUM) can maximize his crop yields. This technique helps families adapt to climate change and grow nutrient-rich crops on a small plot of land. By integrating climate-smart techniques, farmers like Rugwira are able to optimize their land and reap the largest harvest.

After learning the OLUM techniques, Rugwira went on to learn bigger-scale farming. In collaboration with the Office of the Prime Minister, Action Against Hunger was granted 300 acres of land for block farming. Rugwira eagerly joined a farming group called “Maisha ya Kimbizi,” which means “Refugee Life” in Swahili.

Before long, he was farming a very special crop — chilis.

Rugwira’s group received four acres to plant beans and cassava and two acres for chili. Although the other farmers were skeptical about chili farming, Rugwira was excited to cultivate it again, since he had grown it on a small scale in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This time, he received expert guidance from Action Against Hunger agronomists, learning how to prepare nurseries, transplant safely, and care for the plants.

Chili farming transformed Rugwira’s life. He paid off his debts, which means that all of his children can now attend school. “I also have some spare money to save like never before,” he said. So far, he has earned nearly $360, harvesting and selling over 220 pounds of chili.

Rugwira is happy to safeguard his earnings and create a brighter future for himself and his family. He even plans to expand his chili garden. “Chili is the enterprise that has earned me more money than any other,” he said. “In the Congo, I struggled to find a market, selling fresh chili for around $1 for a bowl. But here, with a guaranteed market, I don’t have to worry about losing any of my harvest.”

Action Against Hunger partners with a local organization called Shares Uganda, which specializes in the processing and export of agricultural commodities. According to Christine Zion, the business agent for Shares Uganda, there has been a significant improvement in the quality of chili. “I procured over 830 pounds from my first visit with the farmers, and more than 550 pounds on my subsequent visit,” she said. “We strive to purchase all the chili we come across.”

Refugees like Rugwira are not the only ones farming chilis. Host communities have equally benefitted. Vumillia Jane, a widowed mother of four, is proud of her success. “I previously farmed crops like maize and beans on much larger acreages, but with the refugee influx, the land we had access to reduced,” she said. “Switching to high-value crops like chili was the best option. Even with just a quarter of an acre, I earn enough to put my children through school comfortably.”

Zion is optimistic about the farmers’ ability to grow even more chili, and she believes that the new gardens are looking especially promising. The farmers have expanded their gardens to cover up to 90 acres, and Christine estimates that this acreage can generate up to two tons of chili.

Nevertheless, chili farming comes with some difficulties. We’re doing our best to address these problems, including by installing irrigation systems that provide water for year-round production.

“The hardest part about chili farming is hand-picking, harvesting, and sun-drying,” Rugwira said. “When it’s your first time picking chili, it irritates the skin, but now I’m used to it. What I have seen with chili is that those who put effort into planting it will get more than any other crop. The start and learning curve are challenging, but it’s all worth it.”