Kale is the most consumed green vegetable in both urban and rural areas of East
Africa. Kale is easier to grow by local farmers compared to other vegetables as it
requires fewer chemical inputs and labour. This however leads to high volumes on the market resulting in low prices. Another advantage is that when kale is sufficiently nourished with compost manure and well watered, it produces huge volumes of leaves, which can be harvested repeatedly for a long time.
Benefits of Sukuma Wiki
Kale is a good source of vitamins A, B6 and C, manganese, copper, calcium, potassium and dietary fibre which are important components in the diet.
Sukuma wiki can also be dried in a shade, crushed and kept or specially dried in a clay pot for use a later date by households.
Conditions the Sukuma Wiki can grow in
The crop can virtually grow anywhere provided there is adequate supply of water through rain or irrigation and organic or commercial fertilisers. The crop can be harvested for a long time.
Area in Uganda that growing Sukuma wiki (Kale)
The vegetable has recently become popular on the market and can be grown anywhere in Uganda. The key districts in growing sukuma include the following:
- Gulu District
- Karamoja District
Yields of Sukuma wiki
- The crop takes between one to two months to mature, and from then, harvesting can go on for a year.
- The crop requires pesticides because the collard greens are susceptible to moth balls and black rot.
- To get good crop one needs to apply compost manure one month prior to planting the seeds.