Improved incomes, productivity and market access for smallholder farmers in central Uganda
Growing rice, beans and peanuts in upland Uganda
The project is located in a central region of Uganda which includes the districts of Luwero, Nakaseke and Nakasongola. The area suffers from high poverty levels (30%), with more than 90% of the rural population gaining a livelihood from subsistence agriculture. Smallholder farmers struggle to produce much food due to a lack of technology, like drought-tolerant seeds. Their crops have traditionally been overly reliant on rainwater which means that crops are damaged whenever there is a lack of rainfall. Other factors which have prevented them from growing sufficient food include: small plots (typically less than 2 hectares); poor access to training and credit; lack of quality seeds, fertilisers, pesticides; and poor soil management techniques.
A further problem faced by farmers has been poor access to local food markets. With little to sell on, farmers’ access to local markets has been undermined. This creates a vicious circle in which farmers, unable to access markets, have little incentive to raise production levels and to invest in new techniques and technologies to boost yields and incomes.
Farm Africa is therefore helping local farmers to increase production levels in crops (upland rice, beans and peanuts) through teaching them new technologies and farming techniques. In this way, farmers and their families will have more to eat. The project also intends to increase vulnerable smallholders’ access to local markets by strengthening institutions such as farmers’ groups and associations.
How are communities benefitting?
- Farm Africa will train smallholder farmers in techniques designed to increased crop yields. These include: promotion of soil fertility management techniques; replacing inorganic fertilisers with alternative techniques, such intercropping and rotation of rice and legumes.
- Better access to credit so that farmers are able to purchase better quality seeds like upland rice (high yielding and able to tolerate drier conditions); beans and groundnuts (protein-rich and able to enhance soil fertility).
- Farmers will be trained in best methods for storing harvests in order to improve long-term crop quality.
- By strengthening connections between farmers to enhance group marketing, giving them greater market leverage and enabling them to get the best market price for their produce.
Who are we helping?
Farm Africa is reaching approximately 18,000 smallholder upland rice and legume farmers in central Uganda.
114 farmers' groups up and running in Central Uganda
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The first nine months of Farm Africa’s Upland Rice and Legumes project have been a great success! 114 farmers’ groups have been set up across three districts of Central Uganda, meaning thousands of farmers are now working together to learn new skills and improve their harvests. A select number of farmers have also been training to become specialist seed producers, to ensure the farmers’ groups have an affordable, ongoing supply of good quality seeds to use on their land.
New skills help Ugandan farmers to thrive
Farm Africa's Upland Rice and Beans Project in Uganda is providing farmers with the tools and skills they need to grow and sell food despite local crop disease.
