Uganda National Farmers Federation-UNFFE and its member District Farmers Association joined the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) and the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) in the recent Kuzukusa-Kisoboka Campaign in Central Uganda.
The Government of Uganda has realized the urgent need to mobilize farmers and all stakeholders in the agricultural commodity value chains to achieve increased production, productivity, profitability and household incomes.
Under the Kuzukusa Campaign – farmer mobilization and education, the government will support and operationalise the proper implementation of the Parish Development Model-PDM which is a special purpose vehicle to drive the country’s agro-industrialization efforts under the 3rd National Development Plan (NDP III).
It should be noted that the Commercialization of the agriculture sector is impeded by farmers’ limited use of agricultural inputs such as fertilizers and quality seeds. This is compounded by a lack of access to appropriate water for production technologies thereby rendering production vulnerable to climate extremes and pest infestations.
Most farmers are smallholders owning less than 2 hectares of land who generally rely on labour-intensive production techniques and family labour. The sector growth is also impaired by poor packaging, limited quality storage facilities, poor post-harvest handling practices, lack of access to affordable agricultural credit, land fragmentation, limited access to agricultural extension services, the lack of all-weather feeder roads in rural areas, and limited knowledge of modern production practices.
The goal of this campaign is to create awareness of existing opportunities that farmers can exploit for improved household incomes and the national economy and the following are the specific objectives:
- To drive Mindset Change.
- To promote Enterprise Selection among the farming population.
- To promote Affordable Agriculture Financing options.
- To provide affordable and quality inputs (seed/seedlings, stocking materials, fertilizers, pesticides, semen, embryos, chicks, fingerlings, etc.)
- To promote access to Extension Services (Good Agricultural Practices).
- To promote good agricultural practices (GAP) in Post-Harvest handling and Primary Processing.
- To encourage Value Addition.
- Marketing.
- To provide a platform for local, national and international agro-input firms can showcase their innovations and technology
UNFFE is one of the critical partners identified by OPM and MAAIF to use its robust structures to mobilize smallholder farmers across the country to participate in these campaigns which have started in the Central region.
The recently concluded campaign saw farmers and farmer leaders from the Mityana District Farmers Association, Nkokonjeru Area Cooperative Enterprise, Kassanda District Farmers Association, Luwero District Farmers Association, Nakaseke District Farmers Association, Nakasongola District Farmers Association, and Mubende District Farmers Association represent the farmers. UNFFE Secretariat also sent a team of extension staff to train farmers.
Special exhibitions were set up at their UNFFE tent in line with the current programmes, projects and a number of activities being implemented by the Federation. One of the outstanding programmes exhibited was the ICT4Farmers, Value addition on pumpkin, coffee, and renewable energy sources. The others were programmes promoting the African Indigenous Vegetables, fruit and coffee seedling, and organic fertilisers.
What next?
The implementation of the Farmer Mobilization and Education exercise will be systematically rolled out in the 20 sub-regions as highlighted under section 4(b). This rollout will be undertaken over a period of two seasons (Season A and Season B) broken down into 10 sub-regions for each season.
The Campaign started with Season B 2023 on August 17th – September 17th, 2023 in 12 sub-regions namely; Greater Mubende, Greater Luweero, Greater Masaka, Greater Mukono, Bunyoro, Busoga, Greater Mpigi, Kampala, Rwenzori, Tooro, Ankole and Kigezi. The other 8 sub-regions will be covered at the start of Season A 2024.
UNFFE extends a sincere vote of thanks to His Excellency, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni the President of the Republic of Uganda, Rt. Hon. Robinah Nabbanja, the Prime Minister, and Hon. Frank Tumwebaze for inviting UNFFE to be part of the implementers of the Kuzukusa-Kisoboka Campaign.
