On-going Projects

(a) Promotion of NARICA 3 Upland Rice Production, Processing and Marketing

Africa 2000 Network-Uganda ( A2N-Uganda) is implementing a three year project titled ‘Promoting Upland rice production, processing and marketing in Namutumba District’, with support from the Maendeleo Agricultural Trust Fund but managed by Farm Africa. The purpose of the project is ‘to enhance income security of smallholder farmers in Namutumba District through improved access to markets by promoting production, processing and marketing of NARIC 3 rice.’

The specific outputs are:

• Smallholder farmers’ production and productivity of upland rice for the market increased.
• Smallholder farmers’ incomes increased through improved access to existing and new rice grain and seed sustainable markets.
• Smallholder farmer’s institutional capacity to competitively participate in the rice value chain built and strengthened.
• Project achievements, successes and challenges documented and disseminated for wider uptake by development initiatives in Uganda.

The project commenced in September 2007 and will be implemented in all the six sub-counties of Namutumba District i.e. Bulange, Nsinze, Ivukula, Magada, Namutumba and Kibaale. This is the first quarterly report and it provides an account of activities implemented, challenges faced, lessons learnt and way forward for the next quarter.

(b) African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) project based in Tororo

In Uganda, maize is the most important cereal crop providing over 40% of the calories consumed in both rural and urban areas. However, the yields are low fluctuating between 0.8 – 1.5 t/ha. Small scale farmers, who constitute the bulk of the rural poor, also account for the largest share of maize production. Farmers in Eastern Uganda rate Striga as the one “killer constraint” to maize production. Studies also indicate a gap in farmers’ knowledge on Striga and its control methods. Several methods have been tried by the farmers to reduce on the Striga weed such as weeding, hand puling, burning and use of insecticides but all these have not yet been effective.

A partnership has been developed between African Agricultural Technology Fund, Africa 2000 Network-Uganda and other actors in reduction of Striga Infestation in smallholder Maize fields in Eastern Uganda, through deployment of Strigaway Maize technology, novel technology which has been successful among the smallholder maize farmers in Kenya.

The overall aim of this project is to reduce and eliminate Striga infestation in Uganda, thereby improving on maize production and productivity, food security and the well being among the rural poor smallholders.

Specific Objectives of the project are: -

• To evaluate STRIGAWAY Maize technology under recommended and farmer managed conditions on smallholder maize farms of Eastern Uganda.
• Create awareness among Ugandan smallholder maize farmers, community-based organizations, and research, development and policy partners threat posed by Striga infestation and its various control options.
• To formulate Integrated Striga confinement and eradication strategies and models for Uganda.

The project is operational in 4 (highly infested) maize growing districts in Eastern Uganda which have similar climatic and socioeconomic conditions like Western Kenya, where there have been registered success in Striga reduction. Activities will run for 2 seasons beginning with the long rains of 2007A. The success of the technology will then subsequently be spread throughout the country using partnership and networking strategies.

Achievements made during the period of february to May 2007 include: -

• A data collection form was designed for recording data on growth vigor, germination percentage, crop yields and Striga counts.
• Field preparation was done in the months of January to March and the planting began in the month of April. Some areas that received the rains began establishing the trials. The planting was done at a spacing of 75cm between rows to row and 60cm between plants.
• A2N-Uganda is working with a team from Kenya led by Miss Esther Rutto to conduct a baseline survey of the striga situation in the region, which baseline will help to inform the impact of the technology in future. The survey is being conducted in collaboration with the local government extension workers and the Ministry of Agriculture.

You can also read more about the progress report by Clicking here.

(c) Income Generation through Ecological Fruit Processing / Soleil

This is a project located in the eastern part of Uganda and is to last for a period of three (3) years. It commenced on the 1st of April 2006 and will end on the 31st of March 2008. Africa 2000 Network – Uganda is the project partner and the Implementing Agency is HORIZONT3000.

The overall objective of the project is to realize sustainable incomes for smallholder farm families as well as Africa 2000 Network-Uganda. It is aimed at securing sustainable incomes for smallholder farmers through production of fruit and supplying them to a fruit drying plant in Iganga District.

There have been no appreciable changes amongst the target group, beneficiaries and local partners during this reporting period. The direct beneficiaries are smallholder farm families producing fresh fruits (members of the farmers’ groups and associations), leaders and management of farmers’ associations. The indirect beneficiaries are members of the community where the project is based and smallholder farmers supported by A2N-Uganda.

The solar-drying facility is for drying various fruits (pineapples, apple, banana, mango, papaya, and jackfruit) sourced from Iganga and other surrounding districts.

Specific Objectives of the project include: -

• Sensitization of partner farmers to prepare them for organic agriculture and conducting training on organic agricultural practices was done.
• Embarked on sourcing for the suppliers of the fruit dryer and construction companies based on the preparatory work conducted in this regard.
• The land for hosting the project was identified and constructed accomplished.

To read more about the project, please Click here.

(d) Local-level Integrated Information Systems (LIIS) project

The Local-level Integrated Information Systems (LIIS) project empowers communities in Kabale, Kamuli and Tororo Districts, to make informed decisions on their development aspirations. The project activities include setting up knowledge networks to assist local people and communities to widely communicate, exchange and broadcast their local knowledge adapt global knowledge for their own local use; strengthen the capacities of local communities and organisations to create, communicate and exchange their knowledge and experiences through the use of ICT-based systems; to collect data and document progress at the local-level for MDG tracking, planning and resource mobilisation and management. The project is funded by UNDP/Capacity 2015.

The major aim of the project is to enable the participating village communities make rational choices critical for them to manage their own development and to attain the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) from a well informed basis.

The Specific objectives of the project include:-

• Capacities of local communities and partner organisations strengthened to collect, communicate, exchange and access information through the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT)-based systems
• Communication and exchange of local knowledge and innovations in the communities enhanced
• Capacity of communities and Development Facilitators (DFs) to generate and document information for development and advocacy needs enhanced
• Strengthen and scale up a demand driven Market Place for Agricultural Information Services (MPAIS).

Achievements top

• Conducted a needs assessment and findings disseminated to the stakeholders on the LIIS process
• Planning and community sensitization meetings were held
• Selected local information facilitators and facilitated with bicycles to ease mobility while reaching out to fellow farmers;
• Identified drama groups
• Community web portal under development.

(e) Deployment of Strigaway Maize technology for Reduction of Striga Infestation in Smallholder Maize fields in Uganda

In Uganda, maize is the most important cereal crop providing over 40% of the calories consumed in both rural and urban areas. However, the yields are low, fluctuating between 0.8-1.5 t/ha. Small scale farmers, who constitute the bulk of the rural poor, also account for the largest share of maize production. Farmers in Eastern Uganda rate Striga as the number one “killer constraint" to maize production. Studies also indicate a gap in farmers' knowledge on Striga and its control methods. Several methods have been tried by the farmers to reduce on the striga weed such as weeding, hand puling, burning and use of insecticides but all these have not yet been effective.

This is a partnership project between African Agricultural Technology Fund (AATF)-Kenya, Africa 2000 Network-Uganda and other actors in reduction of Striga Infestation in Smallholder Maize fields in Eastern Uganda, through deployment of Strigaway Maize technology, a novel technology which has been successful among the smallholder maize farmers in Kenya.

Main Activities include:-

• To evaluate STRIGAWAY Maize technology under recommended and farmer managed conditions on smallholder maize farms of Eastern Uganda;
• Create awareness among Ugandan smallholder maize farmers, community-based organizations, and research, development and policy partners threat posed by Stigma infestation and its various control options;
• Formulate Integrated Stigma confinement and eradication strategies and models for Uganda.

Achievements

• The sensitization and planning meetings were jointly done by A2N-Uganda/Tororo staff, and two collaborators from CIMMYT and BASF based in Kenya.
• 1,000 interested farmers were identified to plant IR – Maize
• Farmers’ better understanding of the dilemma with striga and the new opportunity available.
• Farmers / stakeholders / partners aware of the project and how they would participate
• A data collection form was designed for recording data on growth vigor, germination percentage, crop yields and striga counts.
• Field preparations were done in the months of January to March and the planting began in the month of April.
• The selection of farmers was done with the help of the local leaders both at parish and sub-county levels.

(f) Promoting Food Security Project, Plan International

The “Promoting Food Security” project commenced on the 1st of April 2008 to 30th June 2008 with funding from Plan International-Uganda. The project aims to alleviate poverty by supporting smallholder farmer groups/associations and their children to undertake initiatives geared towards sustainable household economic and food security over a period of 3 years (December 2006 - November 2009). The project also intends to improve the living standards of 75 farmer groups comprising of 2,500 households in Kamuli District. It is operational in twelve (12) Plan-Uganda supported parishes of Namuningi, Nankulyanku, Namaganda, Buganza, Busota, Kitayunjwa, Namisambya I, Namisambya II, Nabwigulu, Nabirumba, Butende and Buwanume. The project has to date reached out to 1,389 households.

The project engages the entire household in training (among other activities) with the aim of equipping them with relevant knowledge and skills to ensure a wide knowledge base for continuity and sustainability.

Planned Activities

• Train farmer trainers and facilitate them to continuen helping and training other farmers in sustainable agriculture.
• Train 10 new farmers groups in food security
• Provide 1500 households with on-farm support and extension visits
• Facilitate formation of 8 associations in 8 new parishe
• Support collective marketing initiatives in the old associations

The key result areas of the project are:

• Smallholder’s families supported to increase production and improve on their gender relations for food security.
• Smallholders farm families health conditions improved.
• Farmers groups and associations formed and strengthened for good governance.
• Smallholder farmers’ family’s ability to achieve economic security through marketing enhanced.

(g) Strengthening Farmers’ Associations for Poverty Eradication Project, (EU/CORDAID)

This 3-year project started in February 2003 and is funded by CORDAID. Africa 2000 Network-Uganda (A2N-Uganda) is implementing a programme to Strengthen Farmers Associations for Poverty Eradication (SFAPE) in Uganda. The EU and CORDAID a Dutch NGO are funding A2N-Uganda to implement the SFAPE project in three districts i.e. Iganga, Mayuge and Kabale for a period of three years that is from January 2006 to December 2008. The projects’ overall objective is to alleviate poverty by supporting smallholder farmers’ groups in the three districts to undertake initiatives geared towards livelihood improvement and natural resources regeneration and conservation.

The specific objectives aim at improving the living standards of 90 farmers groups comprising of 3,150 households in the project area through:

• Create and strengthen farmers’ associations for sustainable development and good governance
• Support smallholder farm families to increase agricultural production and gender equity
• Assist smallholder farm families to increase their ability to earn income through collective marketing of agricultural produce and improved household food security
• Smallholder farm families’ health conditions improved

The project activities are implemented in Hamurwa and Rwamucucu sub-counties in Kabale district and Buwaaya and Bulange sub-counties in Iganga and Mayuge districts. This is in addition to the old sub-counties covered during the previous project from 2003 to 2005.

Achievements of the project include:-

• The project interventions have resulted in a marked increase in farm production amongst the participating households.
• As a result of training in gender, many households now make decisions together, share chores as well as profits accruing from sale of produce.
• 108 trained farmer trainers are providing extension services to fellow farmers and are contributing to realisation of the targets set.
• 34 groups have opened up bank accounts and have instituted an internal lending system with interest rates ranging from 3% to 12% per annum.
• 700 households have established vegetable gardens which are used for both food and income.
• The crop and animal inputs have led to increase in quantity and quality of food available in the households.
• Subsequently, the beneficiaries’ diets are more balanced.
• 509 energy saving stoves were constructed and are in use by the project beneficiaries.
• This has resulted in clean and smoke free kitchens while saving on energy and time spend on cooking.
• Hygiene has greatly improved due to measures to establish compost pits for disposal of household refuse, drying racks, clean toilets and clean environment.
• Partner farmers exposed to the effects of HIV/AIDS and unplanned families have opted for voluntary counselling and testing services from neighbouring health centres and the demand for condoms and family planning measures is on increase.
• 5 enterprise based associations were facilitated to identify and select potential value chains for development.

(h) Kigezi Business Development Services by CARE

Care Uganda in partnership with the Austrian Development Cooperation is providing financial and technical support to Africa 2000 Network to implement the Kigezi Business Development Services through Passion Fruit Growing in the districts of Kabale and Kanungu in South Western Uganda. In Kabale district, the project is being implemented in 4 sub counties of Hamurwa, Rwamucucu, Bukinda and Maziba respectively while in Kanungu district, the project in operating in the sub-counties of Kirima, Kayonza, Rutenga and Kanungu town council.

Specific Objectives of the Kigezi Passion Fruit BDS

• Mobilize and create awareness for local leaders and communities with respect to the promotion of commercial production and marketing of passion fruit.
• Facilitate the local communities of the 2 project districts to organize themselves into viable district passion fruit growers association engaged with the market.
• Mobilize and recruit a cadre of BDS providers that will be linked to passion fruit growers as consumers in a market development approach.
• To facilitate the formed 2 district passion fruit associations top become good channels for their members to become aware and consume designed BDS within the sub sector.
• Facilitate the district passion fruit association in developing refining and adopting the related sub sector business development services(BDS).
• Coordinate trainings and capacity building for the passion fruit stake holders in groups and strengthen the group cohesion, conflict resolution with respect to representation, advocacy, record keeping and other technical areas `with respect to production and group marketing and sensitivity and price negotiation and contracting.
• Monitoring and preparation of progress reports (Technical and Financial) to CARE on the quarterly basis.

Achievements of the projects

• 10 groups have been linked to local markets and all the 52 groups are now saving using SLA methodology.
• 20 CBTS exposed to commercial nurseries and practical and management skills on commercial nurseries enhanced
• 4 passion fruit producer associations formed and their leaders elected in the four sub counties of Kanungu.
• 4 marketing centers committees formed and leaders elected in the four sub counties of Kanungu.

(i) Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT)

PLAN Tororo in partnership with Africa 2000 Network Uganda are implementing a project aimed at contributing towards improving the quality of life of People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHAs) in Tororo district. The five year (2004 – 2009) project is a component of the Mukuju PMTCT PLUS project specifically targeting breast feeding mothers with children below five years and/or expectant mothers. The food security and livelihood project component implemented by Africa 2000 Network Uganda has been running for the last two years, starting December 2005.

The specific objectives of the food security and livelihood component are as below: -

• Train families in the production and utilisation of vegetable crops including, sukuma wiki, tomatoes, cabbages, onions, local greens (dodo) and others for their own consumption and marketing.
• Train families in the production and utilisation of legume crops such as beans and groundnuts for maximum productivity while providing soil cover to mitigate erosion and leaching.
• Train families in the production and utilisation of fruits including oranges (citrus), mangoes, and pineapples;
• Train families in animal husbandry and utilisation of animal products including improved breeds of goats and poultry; and
• Assist needy families to access agricultural inputs and tools including improved seeds, planting materials, and improved animal breeds.

Achievements of the project: -

Project activities were initiated in eight sub-counties of Kisoko, Petta, Molo, Mukuju, Osukuru, Mella, Kwapa and Merekit in Tororo. The beneficiaries have now started to produce their own food and in some cases, others are also getting incomes from sale of surplus food produced. 63 high grade crossed he-goats and 3,127 exotic cocks were distributed to the participants. 187 participants were exposed to technologies in sustainable agriculture. There has been an improved gender relation in participating households. 450 participants have acquired skills in sustainable agriculture. Further more;

• 80% of the beneficiaries have acquired knowledge and skills in modern farming and labour saving technologies
• 40% of the beneficiaries of goats are producing their own milk
• There is 30 % improvement in the local stock of chicken and goats as a result of cross breeding with improved exotic breeds of the animals introduced by the project
• 70% of the participants are becoming food sufficient (secure) in terms of (grain-maize and beans) for at least 9 months in a year
• 10% of the project participants have managed to get extra income by selling vegetables.
• 20% of the project participants have established compost pits and adopted soil conservation practices.
• 60% of the project participants have vegetables as part of their daily meal.

(j) Strengthening Farmers’ Organization for Poverty Eradication

Strengthening Farmers’ Organizations for Poverty Eradication (SFOPE) is a one year project that is funded by McKnight and it is being implemented in Kamuli District.The overall goal of the project is to enable farming communities to organize themselves and acquire skills that will enable them to generate income, improve household food security and living conditions. The project is targeting a total of 900 households who will participate actively in the project by attending training and implementing the technologies that will be demonstrated in the various trainings that they will attend. The participation of women in the project activities is given priority.

Although the project was initially targeted for the farming communities in the sub-counties of Butansi, Kitayungwa and Namwendwa, it was diverted to the sub-counties of Bumanya, Namugongo and Buloopa. The diversion was a request by the district leaders and other stakeholder and was attributed to similar other interventions in the targeted sub-counties by other development agencies like Self Help International, Volunteer Efforts for development Concerns (VEDCO) and Plan-Uganda, which could have led to duplication of work.

It aims at achieving the following objectives:

• Create and strengthen farmers associations for collective marketing and advocacy.
• Train farmers’ groups and enable them access, on cost sharing basis, farm inputs for increased production and productivity.
• Create awareness for improved health.
• Disseminate development information.

One of the achievement made was that according to the survey done by the project staff, farmers most especially women are embracing a reading culture and are utilizing the books in the libraries. As a result, they have gained knowledge on environment management, sustainable livelihood practices and technologies and other cross-cutting issues like HIV/AIDS and gender.

(k) Farmer to Market (F2M)

The Farmer to Market (F2M) project in Hoima started in January 2005. The project is funded by International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) and is implemented by Africa 2000 Network-Uganda (A2N-Uganda) in partnership with the Agricultural University in Vienna, National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO)-Bulindi and A2N-Uganda in Hoima district. The project aims at eradicating poverty through research in aspects of agro-marketing and food security. It is anticipated that when groups select best options for food security, marketable crops and animal enterprises, they will be able to have enough food and earn adequate household incomes to meet their livelihood improvement necessities.

It is geared towards enabling farmers to access organic niche markets for fruits, vegetables and spices. Garlic, pineapples and ginger have been identified as market enterprises during the Participatory Market research (PMR) and participatory Diagnosis (PD) exercises and are under experimentation in the district.The project is being piloted in the two sub-counties of Busiisi and Kitoba in Hoima District, involving two groups of Tukolerehamu Kihumiko Youth Group and Tweimukye Functional Adult Literacy (FAL) Group with a total membership of 15 and 25 members’ respectively.

Project objectives

• Strengthen farmers’ organizations for collective marketing.
• Conservation of environment and natural resource base for sustainable production
• Improve the welfare and participation of family members.

During the period, all the second experiments (focusing on selection of viable income generating enterprises and food security options) on garlic, ginger, pineapples, cassava and beans have been established and harvested to evaluate their performance. The farmers were happy with ginger, cassava, beans and pineapples and they have decided to continue with them as the protocols for income generation and food security. Garlic has completely failed in Hoima. Apart from the above protocols, farmers have benefited from various other training such as records keeping, participatory monitoring and evaluation, soil fertility management and soil and water conservation, crop husbandry practices and exposure visits.

(l) Lake Victoria Research (VICRES)

This is a three year project being implemented throughout the East African Countries (Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania) from 2005 to 2008. The VICRES project aims at developing a tunnel drier, which uses solar energy indirectly to dry fish. This is because a lot of energy is required in the preservation of fish and high losses are experienced due to poor preservation. Although natural solar drying has been used for generations, it is slow, unreliable and contamination is high. Use of solar drier is expected to significantly reduce dependency on wood and charcoal thus contributing positively to the environment.

The overall objective is to"develop effective and efficient solar tunnel driers for drying of biological materials (fish) along Lake Victoria shores using locally available technology and materials."

Specific Objectives of the Project

• To evaluate the utilization of existing solar driers in east Africa at both rural and urban levels.
• To develop a solar collector that optimizes the use of solar energy for drying biological materials along the Lake Victoria shores.
• To train field assistants and women groups on use, repair and maintenance of the drier.

The project is an initiative under the Lake Victoria Development Partnership (LVDP) and is implemented by the Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA) in collaboration with A2N-Uganda, Jomo Kenyatta University, Kenya Forestry Research Institute and the University of Dar es Salaam on Lake Victoria Research (VicRes). The activities have commenced with support from the Swedish International Support Agency (SIDA).

Main activities

• Evaluating the social economic impact of solar drying on the lives of rural women living along Lake Victoria
• Evaluating the different methods of fish preservation at the rural level
• Training field assistants and women groups on use, repair and maintenance of the drier.

Achievements

• Field survey has been done in 10 districts along Lake Victoria and baseline information pertaining to the project obtained which is vital for project implementation as well as for researchers, fisheries managers, fishing communities, development agencies, fisheries officers, policy makers and planners
• Socio-economic aspects have been mainstreaming in aquaculture research.
• Women groups have been sensitized on the social and economic impact of indirectly drying fish using solar driers
• Technical advice on the social impact and adoption of new technologies in East Africa has been provided.

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Africa 2000 Network-Uganda Promoting Community Empowerment for SustainableLivelihoods