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MACCA+VMG

2022

Uganda

Growing population and increasing urbanisation in Kampala, Uganda is forcing city dwellers to come up with creative ideas to ensure reliable fresh food supply in a sustainable manner. Paul Matovu aims to provide healthy and organic crops to low-income urban families and communities. To this end, he started the VMG business in 2014 and created the very first integrated wooden vertical farming solution in Uganda. This vertical farm (VF) consists of stacked soil beds and can accommodate up to 200 plants on a 1mx1m space! By taking advantage of the natural growth of earthworms and integrated composting chamber, no water-polluting or carcinogenic chemicals or inorganic fertilizers are needed. Furthermore, these VFs give families the opportunity to start their very own micro-agribusiness. What a incredible way of improving the health and living standard of his fellow Ugandans.

Paul spent a whole year constructing 300 working prototypes, which he also sold to his very first customers, to prove the viability of this business. As every great business that started somewhere in the back of a garage, it is now time to step up production and go big!

If only there were some enthusiastic engineering students to help Paul with this…

After our first three weeks, we will move to … Jinja!

Here we will be working on the MACCA project. (Measures Against Climate Change) This project was set up by five local organizations who want to work towards a more prosperous lifestyle for 1000 women maize farmers living in the Busoga sub-region who are disadvantaged by climate change. Our preparatory work consisted mainly of researching machines to set up a pilot factory to make powder for children’s porridge.

On site, we will be deployed in parts of the project where we can make ourselves most useful. What that will entail exactly, we will tell you in August!

Students
Emma Sageot
Soetkin Barbaix
Matthijs Coninx
Nina Claessens
Coach
Britt Van Ostaeyen
Technology manager
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