Out of its cocoon

FAO-China-Uganda South-South project creates new farming opportunities in sericulture-China-Uganda South-

With silkworms, local farmers can earn up to 10 times what they would earn growing traditional crops such as maize from the same plot of land. ©FAO/ Stuart Tibaweswa

One of the first Ugandans to take advantage of this new opportunity was Wambedde Simon Waluba, a 24-year-old graduate from Makerere University in Kampala, whose family owns 14 acres of prime mulberry land.

The land had been unproductive for years, but he spotted an opportunity when he heard about mulberry trees and silkworms. 

The eldest child in a family of four brothers and four sisters, Simon studied Social Sciences because he dreamt of becoming a manager or working for a non-governmental organization. But when his family hit on hard times, he decided he would do anything he could to help. 

"They told me I can make good money out of this business. I needed to find ways to help my family financially; that's why I got interested in this business," he says.

Simon was then trained by Waiswa Aggrey, the Seres Textile Company’s young manager, who in turn was trained by the silkworm experts sent from China as part of the SSC project in Uganda. The land had been unproductive for years, but he spotted an opportunity when he heard about mulberry trees and silkworms.  Continue Reading

South project creates