The Uganda Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (UFAAS) on behalf of the African Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (AFAAS), Ag-Connectors, the Association for Strengthening Agricultural research in East and Central Africa ( ASARECA), Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), Eastern Africa Farmers Federation (EAFF), is implementing the Digital Connectors for farming communities project (DC4FC) project that leverages digital technologies to transform agriculture for improved livelihoods. Implemented in Luweero and Bugiri districts of Uganda, the project is aimed at boosting agricultural productivity and empowering farming communities to overcome challenges and improve their livelihoods by promoting the socio-economic inclusion of rural women and youth through their engagement in agricultural extension and advisory services. It is supported by the European Union through the OACPS Research & Innovation Programme.
The AIRTEA project seeks to achieve increased involvement of women and youth in East Africa in linking multi-stakeholder innovation platforms (IPs) to practical solutions within national, regional, and global food systems.
On 15th August 2023, a team from UFAAS, AFAAS, FARA, ASARECA held a field visit to selected Digital connectors in Luwero District. The purpose of the visit to Zirobwe agali awamu Agribusiness and Training Association (ZAABTA) Innovation Platform (IP) in Luweero district was aimed at reviewing the progress and activities being conducted by the earlier recruited and deployed Digital Connectors (DCs). The visit was also intended to understand the challenges being faced by digital connectors, areas where improvement is required and future collaborations necessitated. The team met digital connectors at ZAABTA offices in Zirobwe and later visited a high-value vegetable farmer, Mzee Jasper Kisuze Kizza, a member of ZAABTA who benefited from the services provided by one of the digital connectors (E-DIMES) to learn more about how increased access to extension and advisory services with digital platforms has improved his farming practices and livelihood.
Digital connectors supervised by Ms. Rosemirta Birungi pitched their innovations to the field team and the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA).
- Andrew Munyole’s business model of Aim for Farmers Advisory, Information, and Marketplace;
- Anthony Ssenyonga’s Digitalized Quality Inputs Dealership, Extension and Advisory (Digital-IDEA) and,
- Anthony Kisakye’s Electronic Delivery of Irrigation and Water Management Extension Services (E-DIMES).
Left: Digital Connectors documenting the farmer’s experiences using phones.
Left: Ms Rosermirta sharing the Digital Connector business model with the team from FARA and ASARECA
Left: The field visit team at Mzee Kiiza’s vegetable farm
Lessons learned
- Documentation helps the implementation team to understand and manage the project context against expectations, measure project deliverables against the project management plan, and navigate through a project by keeping track of activities.
- Continual monitoring during the implementation of a project is critical to address factors that might limit the potential for impact.
- Digital platforms have greater impacts on improving agricultural productivity and access to information among smallholder farmers only if the existing digital service providers are nurtured and mentored in the right direction