As the national industry producing anti-malaria medicine matures, farmers are meeting the demand by growing artemesia which pays more than tilling Uganda's dark soil for food crops. From Chien-Chi Chang's trip in Uganda, exploring the many facets of malaria with writer Kyu-Young Lee, here are three examples of older entrepreneurs who have changed their businesses in response to the country's needs.
John Tabaro, 73, with his wife Janan sit in their living room in a town outside of Kabale. “I was born here, grew up here and have been a farmer all my life,” he said. Tabaro admits he was excited when he first heard about artemesia and its lucrative potential. Thirteen people live in his house. It’s been four harvest seasons since he first grew the plant. Now you can find it in every free corner where he has arable land. “Look at my children, they look nice,” he said. “There are many, so I send them to boarding school.” Chien-Chi Chang/Magnum on Malaria
With 18 children from two wives, Steven Hyaza is looking for new ways to make money. “I am 60 years old and I am not getting younger,” he said. He joined a group of farmers producing artemesia 3 years ago and has reaped the rewards. Meeting the food needs of his family, he is now able to pay for secondary school fees for some of his children. Chien-Chi Chang/Magnum on Malaria
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Reader comments (1)
Está situación es parecida a los agricultores que siembran maiz o caña para producir Etanol
o los campesinos de Ecuador, Bolivia o la misma Colombia que siembran Coca para que le pagen altos precios por un monocultivo. Al fin, todo productor está al merced de los grandes capos, que son los que comercializan el producto final, es el caso de los agricultores en la provincia de Tarragona, España que siembran la avellana desde hace siglos y tienen que vender toda su produccion a la Nestle, ya que nadie más puede competir con esa empresa que tiene el monopolio.
Comment posted by jorge vall on April 20, 2007