The Uganda Forum for Agricultural Extension Services (UFAAS) unveiled the dates for Uganda’s first National Agricultural Extension Week (NAEW) 2023. Speaking during the Executive meeting on 24th February 2023, UFAAS Chairperson Mrs Adeline Muheebwa said that upon consultation of the Executive and Board members, the event will be held on 23-26 May, 2023 under the theme “Unveiling innovative pluralistic AEAS approaches: Actors’ resilience and competitiveness for food security and commercialized agriculture”. The event will be held in partnership with the African Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (AFAAS) and the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF).
Context
The concept of the 1st NAEW 2023 was developed during the 3rd National Extension symposium held in July 2020 as an e-event, given the prevailing situation of COVID -19 then. Due to the stabilized situation, the 4th National Extension event that has evolved into an extension week and renamed to a Uganda National Agricultural Extension Week (UG-NAEW 2023) will be a hybrid event (physical and virtual) from 23rd – 26th May 2023. Pre-event workshops will be held at regional level all over the country from 10th-21st April 2023.
According to the UFAAS Chief Executive Officer, Mrs Beatrice Luzobe, the objectives of the Extension Week 2023 will be to:
- To identify and highlight the various innovative pluralistic AEAS approaches that are building actors’ resilience and competitiveness
- To deliberate on the resilience and competitiveness capacity gaps among the different value chain actors.
- To motivate/stimulate different participating value chain actors and beneficiaries towards greater resilience and competitive actions for food security and commercialization.
- To raise priority AEAS policy and practice recommendations for building actors’ resilience and competitiveness.
The National Agricultural Extension Week is organized to collectively deliberate on potential remedies to effectively address agricultural extension issues through; sharing lessons, knowledge, technologies and innovations, along five sub-themes namely:
i. AEAS interventions and support mechanisms for addressing resilience and competitiveness
ii. Leveraging on and strengthening public programmes and projects.
iii. Viable Business development and support services for farmers and other users of AEAS services.
iv. Women and Youth engagement and opportunities in the agricultural value chain as actors and beneficiaries.
v. Digitalized AEAS in Agriculture as a driver for agricultural growth.
The 5-day NAEW 2023 event will host regional workshops, a plenary focused on the keynote address, presentations in specific thematic areas, discussions in breakaway sessions and field visits. There will be workshops focused on each of the Sub-themes, these will be complimented with co-creation activities, such as World Café / shift and share, exhibitions and networking.
About the Uganda Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (UFAAS)
Uganda Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (UFAAS) is the country chapter of the African Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (AFAAS) in Uganda. It is a forum that brings together a wide range of actors involved in Agricultural Extension and Advisory Services (AEAS) in Uganda. UFAAS was launched in May 2011 and is registered in Uganda. AFAAS is the umbrella network organisation for AEAS in Africa. It operates within the framework of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), with a focus to Pillar IV.
For more information, please contact:
Mrs Beatrice Luzobe
Email: ufaas2013@gmail.com / Telephone: +256776801091