KHEA multiplier journey from training to profitable bio-fertilizer innovation

Alphonse Nsengiyumva

Our journey led us to the doorstep of Alphonse Nsengiyumva, a visionary multiplier trained on ecological organic practices by Rwanda Organic Agriculture Movement (ROAM) the Country Implementing Partner (CIP) of the KHEA project. Mr Alphonse turned the lessons he gained from the training into a profitable business while making available and accessible a homemade biofertilizer that is making a change for farmers in his community. Alphonse’s breakthrough came after two years of persistence after identifying a gap in his community where farmers were using mostly inorganic inputs in their farms. And he wanted to help them to produce healthy products for their families but also sell them and get some income.

Alphonse Nsengiyumva the KHEA multiplier showcasing produced biofertilizer

Our journey led us to the doorstep of Alphonse Nsengiyumva, a visionary multiplier trained on ecological organic practices by Rwanda Organic Agriculture Movement (ROAM) the Country Implementing Partner (CIP) of the KHEA project. Mr Alphonse turned the lessons he gained from the training into a profitable business while making available and accessible a homemade biofertilizer that is making a change for farmers in his community. Alphonse’s breakthrough came after two years of persistence after identifying a gap in his community where farmers were using mostly inorganic inputs in their farms. And he wanted to help them to produce healthy products for their families but also sell them and get some income.

ROAM KHEA project officer with KHEA multiplier in his vegetable farm

How this biofertilizer is made? :

Alphonse’s fertilizer is made of common nettles (urtica dioica), southern cone marigold (tagetes minuta), and rabbit urine. The question was why did he choose those ingredients? He said “I chose rabbit urine for my fertilizer because they contain a high level of Nitrogen Phosphorus and Potassium (NPK), common nettles are used to increase the nitrogen and potassium levels and target minuta to enhance the repellent effect, incorporating pesticide properties into the fertilizer. The combination of these ingredients makes a fertilizer that can be used by farmers and replace the inorganic ones they are using. According to him, fermentation can take 2 weeks and the fertilizer will be ready to use it can be applied to any crop but his trial was on Vegetables and it was successful.

Ingredients ( common nettles , southern cone marigold and rabbit urine )

The produced biofertilizer was distributed to different farmers in his community for trial and it was much appreciated to make it profitable, multiplier Alphonse started selling it at a very affordable price of 1 dollar per liter and farmers are buying it and using it to grow different crops in their farms.

Before applying biofertilizer and after applying biofertilizer in the farm

Multiplier Alphonse encourages his fellow KHEA Trainees to view the knowledge and skills gained during the training of multipliers and transform them as solutions to the challenges communities are facing on the availability of organic inputs, the multiplier aspires to increase the volume of the biofertilizer produced but also reaching the other farmers with his products outside of his community as well as getting much profit to sustain his business

ROAM communication officer, and the KHEA multiplier