Kewerimide Marketing and Food Processing Group

THE FINAL PRODUCT

2009-01-20T02:07:00.000-08:00

The rightfull product is now availabe better grab one. little to be said but when you finnally get it right it is worth the lime light. the top photo is at the 59th graduation, so is the second photo. the third photo is Byasi with the group leader of the farmers. THe last photo is the shelf stable product produced by the farmers.

THE PROCESS

2009-01-20T02:01:00.000-08:00

Well the processing is pretty easy but complicated. above are the farmer going through the different stages of processing to produce the product. reality is that the machine is manual, as you can see Naashom is sweating it out.

JOURNEY

2009-01-20T01:13:00.000-08:00

It was a perilous journey that took 6 months but we finally got there. let the pictorial tell the story. below is Nakasongola's tourist attraction "the gravity defying rocks". the only transport is a boda boda. at the end of the 3 hours ride the end causes the smile at the profile.
well geting to this point in time has been a hard fought journey, with adventurous tells emanating from rural Uganda. One thing is for sure the environment is not friendly "pretty dry", water is a problem and the story is endless but "yes we can" what better way to say it.

TEACHING IS NOT EASY

2009-01-20T01:05:00.000-08:00

well you need to get down to businesss to ensure its success. to get to this point it was preety difficult thats why some farmers take pride in the business.

But so to say people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy and it seems we are on the right track.
The innovative partnership model established between JOBS, Save the Children, and Makerere University is able to deliver technical assistance to groups in value addition and marketing, at
a minimal cost.
Group dynamics play an important role in the level of commitment to the creation and success of production units.
Scope exists for expanding on this pilot project, both in Nakasongola and more widely, in other areas of Uganda.

Marketing

2008-09-26T06:41:00.003-07:00

We have sold some products to Kampala , but haven't tried marketing them in the
supermarkets around. We have registered some ready demand in kampala though we have to electrify some things such as the bottle and the label design .As we
write the new label is fully designed and soon will be uploaded for suggestions.
Our next target market are schools especially primary schools.

Sales are expected to increase with the new bottle and label, that is after current peanut batch is consumed.

After establishing a good market base in Kampala and maintaining the quality of the product, farmers will be sending the products on a
weekly basis for distributions to the identified markets, after which the proceeds will be sent back.

The first batch of production has been an experience to all the kewerimide members and the farmer groups in Nakasongola inclusive.

Some unavoidable changes

2008-09-23T09:27:00.001-07:00

Due to peoples demand and complaint about the kind of label and bottle .we the kewerimide group have resorted to a 400gramm bottle which is to compete with peanut butter on shelf.

We had proposed a 200grammm bottle but of a different structure.unfortunately we failed to get one in Uganda .

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING US

2008-09-18T00:09:00.000-07:00

This goes to all those who supported us by buying our product (peanut butter). Thank you so much.May God bless you abundantly. we promise to continue producing quality and we say customer satisfaction is garanteed. We exist because you are there for us.
Thank you again.

Farmers polish up peanut production

2008-09-16T11:48:00.001-07:00

The second field visit was done by Jonathan and Sammy to our surprise the previous day the farmers did produce the best quality peanut without supervision we did provide literature about good manufacturing practices to the group, the proven flow and the ingredients. And we do hope the coming field visit will be fruitful.
On the bright side the sells are good with about 200 units sold although the proceeds are being used the processing structure (house) since the area had no housing we could use.
The target market was makerere but this shifted to the Kampala markets who are so interested in the product.
The product name is “KIPOOLI SUPA” which is a luganda word and so common among the population. Rebranding is already taking place with a new batch of better labels and bottles.
With this new product the market is insurmountable, profits will sore within the 1st 6months and diversification is eminent.

Updates from Kewerimide

2008-09-16T11:45:00.000-07:00

Following the initial productions from 10 days .the makerere team worked out a plan to make field visits every Friday of the week. The first field visit was done by Isaac and jonathana.this was a disappointing one since the farmers had failed to meet the quality specification we had initiated. This caused us a loss of about 200000shs in raw materials, labor, packaging and transport. Following this, we halted the production until the next field visit.

Peanut butter is Ready on Market

2008-09-03T09:46:00.000-07:00

During our production visit in Nakasongola we meet a big challenge from the farmer.
The name peanut butter was droped since local people didn't know it.
so we came up with the local name "Kipooli Supa" which kind of captured market.

Activities in Nakasongola(Wajjala)

2008-09-03T09:22:00.000-07:00

Women take part in peanut butter production.the women of wajjala together with the chairman played a big role in peanut butter production .

Business plan

2008-08-17T22:03:00.000-07:00

Last week was a very busy week since we had to seat down and panel beat our business plan.We came up with one product which was not as planed (peanut butter).we had to change alot in our business plan which was not that simple though we went through it.we didn't expect the seal we were given .

PROTOTYPE DEVELOPMENT

2008-08-06T08:27:00.000-07:00

After field visits to Nakasongola, the kewerimide team was faced with the task of developing a prototype. this was not an easy task and the CIT comrades can testfy. with the FST students spearheading the production it took us 12 hours to come up with right recipe for the products. this was in the FST laboratories and it was a success. Needless to say the products are delicious and whoever comes across them wouldnot want to leave, Ask Dr. Byaruhanga of FST. please comment on the products. the peenut butter has 2 recipes; the light one has sugar, while the dark one has no sugar. the peanut butter is made using peanuts, simsim, vegetable oil and sugar.

the difference in the coloring is due to the removal of the coat. the mangoes are dried after soaking in a solution of sugar, lemon juice and tiny winy salt.

During Research

2008-07-27T04:58:00.000-07:00

On saturday ,kewerimide team[Isaac and Jonathan] together with irima team[Roy] took awalk to katwe ,to find out prices for some manual machines such as the grinders and the milling machine.
The machines were slightly expensive than what we expected.The machnics who assemble the machines said that the machine can be assembled to the site at acost less than that of transporting it.

We further traveled to owino market to physically see the grinders at work,we came across avariety of different colours for peanut butter being displayed for sell.we had to buy and then granted right of tasting the different colour.

Jinja agricultural show

2008-07-27T02:38:00.000-07:00

As part of our endeavours to come up with the best and cheap technologies for product development while in Wajjala, we saw it fit to attend the Jinja agricultural show. while there we came across a variety of products and processing equipment that are cheap and applicable within the project. The show opened our eyes to the manual hand driven grinder, the portable solar drier, diferrent packaging materials and the costs of the ddifferent equipment.

The equipment were small scale but could be scaled up and upgraded for commercial production. the trip was an eye opener with alot new experiences attached to it, take for instance, it rained cats and dogs while we were there making the whole scene unbearable. amidsst all these trials and tribulations we managed to come up trumps although the expenses were more than we bargained for.the total expenditure far much exceeded the budgeted amount.

Kewerimide Team and posts held

2008-07-24T22:27:00.000-07:00

Kewerimide food processing team is made up of five members as stupilated above .
the team looks forward to change the lives of wajjala farmers in terms of bring forward new ideas that will help them fight food insecurity.

Major crops grown by Kewerimide farmers

2008-07-24T03:05:00.001-07:00

Wajjala farmers and some of their major crops grown.The kewerimide team discussed various products that could be produced basing on the available products.The farmers had to to vote for two major products by show of hand.thus came up with peanut butter having seen and tasted the sample we took to them and dried mangoes.

Travelling back to Nakasongola town from wajjala .though maize is one of their primary crop the idea of processing maize was not bought by the farmes.wajjala has a very fertile land has stuplated in the photo below.

POPULAR APPRAISAL THROUGH FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSIONS

2008-07-23T23:51:00.000-07:00

On july 21st and 22nd we had the chance of meeting the Kewerimide marketing group in Kitaleba village, Wajjala parish, Lwampaga sub county, Nakasonggola district. The aim of the visit was to carry out focus group discussions to ascertain possible products that can be developed from the crop raw materials that the farmers have. The outcome was a surprise since the farmers seemed to have a few crops in season as most of the crops were out of season. The available crops to date were ground nuts (pea nuts), simsim, maize and cassava. the rest of the crops were out of season. the farmers were pretty interested in making mango juice although the mango season was almost was reaching a climax. We the Makerere team presented the potential products to the farmers and held a gruesome debate on what to produce as a team with the farmers. After two hours of fist fights and a democratic vote the farmers narrowed down on peanut butter with 60% vote and dried mango (fruits) with 70% vote. The experience from the field trip was tentalizing but I must say a physical demonstration product is of good use in case you are talking of developing a certain product. The farmers liked the peanut butter we presented such that they could not resist learning how to make it.

Some of the Potential Women in Wajjala Parish

2008-07-12T03:03:00.000-07:00

As i was checking Sean's blog i came across some of the potential ladies of wajjala that we shall be working with .As i looked at the document most of them are mothers with kinds .

My special thanks goes to USAID for the great support put forward.

Meeting Held (3rd ,june,2008)

2008-07-08T03:49:00.001-07:00

Last Week’s Meeting(3^rd ,June,2008)

During last week’s meeting everybody was given an opportunity to share there experience about the trip to Nakasongola,Kiralamba village. Each of us had a different experience to share though some were cutting across.

Some students confessed that, what they saw that day is what they had expected to find.

However, I was amazed by the willingness of the farmers to change there way of life. They were open enough to say out what there problems were. Ranging from limited market for there produce to the problems that affect there crops during the growing season. I noticed how farmers were upset by this year’s mango season. All the mangoes that they were harvesting were rotten and suggested that they need help on how they should prevent there mangoes from rotting while on the trees. One farmer on by the names of Ssenkungu George Williams had harvested good mangoes. All the rest were buying from him.

After a recap on the trip, we had to remind our selves of each others name, and on this very day we were joined by a new member Anita.

SWOT Analysis:

Later on we were introduced to the SWOT Analysis. With this we identified out strengths, weaknesses, opportunities that we had and threats that were bound to come aboard.

SWOT Analysis Diagram .

From that the day’s discussion, I learnt that we ought to use our strengths to change our weaknesses into opportunities in order to over come the threats.

We listed down the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats as listed below.

Strengths include:

Ready to learn

Determination

Availability of resources

Exposure

Diverse

Team work

Weaknesses include:

Preconceptions and attitudes

Adaptation to the communities

Knowledge that is already possessed by we the students

Poor communication skills

Flexibility

Language

Opportunities include:

Initial contact

Transforming our theoretical knowledge into application

Hands on exposure

Dealing with knowledgeable people(farmers)

Learning experience

Changing peoples lives for the better

Interacting with people (getting new ideas and improvement on our communication skills.

Working with NGOs

Develop simple technologies

Appreciate ther peoples abilities

Availability of raw materials, resources, etc.

Working together (as faculties and students)

Threats include:

Scarcity of portable water

Season ability of crops

Energy increasing expenses

Perishables

Group dynamics

Harsh climate

>Accessibility of the villages

Products

We went ahead to identify the products that we were to produce from the crops grown in Nakasongola.

These are some of the products that we identified.

Dried vegetables

Dried fruits

Kassedde( Potato chips)

Weaning foods

Orange sweet potato Composite flour

Jam

Cassava flour

Baked products (bread, cakes, buns, etc.)

Juice

Energy bar

Groups Formation

Michael and Yusuf formed the groups and each was assigned to a marketing group that they will be working with.

The three groups that were formed are to operate with the following marketing groups:

Kawerinmide Marketing Group

Lwampanga Sub-County

Wajjala Parish

Save extension worker: Henry – 0772613605.

Irima “Out of School Youth Group”

Kalungi Sub-County

Parish: ?

Save Extension Worker: Magoba Sarah - 0782925955

Katugo Marketing Group

Kakooge Sub-County

Parish:?

Save Extension Worker: Atwongyere Adeline – 0782530191

However, the student groups don’t have names so far. I challenge them to choose names for there groups for easy identification.

The student groups were given a task of identifying 3-4 possible products they would like to produce using the crops possessed by the marketing groups they are to work with.

I will be sharing with yopu what my group will be working on next time. Please all group leaders just let us know what your group will be working on.

Good luck to every one.