Geita focuses on creating a sustainable and positive legacy through economic development projects. These projects aim to improve the welfare of the local farming community to provide alternative sustainable livelihoods for host communities.
Paddy farming and storage facility
In 2018, Geita Mine empowered 300 farmers from Nyabusakama Cooperative Society with training on paddy best agriculture practices. The mine also supported farmers with agriculture inputs and machinery, such as tractors, which helped to transform paddy productivity for beneficiaries. To improve the value chain of paddy farming, Geita Mine further supported the cooperative with the paddy storage facility and the establishment of rice milling and packaging machinery at Saragulwa Village. Ongoing infrastructure development support continues through the mine’s annual CSR Plan, including the procurement of a weigh bridge and provision of wooden pallets which assist in the storage management of farm yields.
Sunflower farming project
The Sunflower farming project is a mine funded project with 75 farmers who form part of the Nyabusakama Cooperative Society and are engaged in sunflower farming. In 2018, farmers were trained on sunflower cultivation, supported with best sunflower seeds, fertilizers and a shared tractor which is used by both the Paddy and Sunflower farmers of the Nyabusakama Cooperative Society. Geita Mine further assisted with the construction of a sunflower factory and the installation of sunflower oil processing machines which has played a vital role in adding value to the sunflower yields, thus increasing the market value of sunflower yields and consistently improving the income generated by the project beneficiaries.