The Uganda Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (UFAAS), with support from the Global Forum for Rural Advisory Services (GFRAS), and the African Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (AFAAS), with funding from the European Union, launched the Global Programme for Small-scale Agroecology Producers and Sustainable Food Systems Transformation (GP-SAEP)’ Project in Uganda.
To contribute to this global project, UFAAS will partner with Access Agriculture, and the Young Professionals in Agricultural Research and Development (YPARD) in Uganda to increase access to knowledge and empower 10,000 small-scale farmers in agroecological transition through participatory Rural Advisory Services (RAS) and farmer-to-farmer joint learning. The 4-year project will be implemented in five districts in Uganda namely; Bugiri (Eastern Uganda), Buikwe (Central Uganda), Sembabule (South Western Uganda), Kasese (Western Uganda), and Lira (Northern Uganda).
The launch of the GP-SAEP Project took place on 29th February 2024 at an event graced by the Hon. Minister of State for agriculture, Animal Industries and Fisheries (MAAIF) Hon. Fred Bwino Kyakulaga; the project implementing partners Access Agriculture, and YPARD; and, witnessed by other UFAAS partners including, USAID Feed the Future Institutional Systems Strengthening Activity, GIZ, Farmers Media, Farm Radio International, Dostrim Limited, and Makerere University.
According to Dr Hlami Ngwenya, the Project Coordinator based at GFRAS, the GP-SAEP Project aims to transform food systems towards agroecology by enabling small-scale producers to strengthen their practices of agroecology, through better access to knowledge, support services, improved technologies and markets. She underscored the relevance of agricultural extension workers in attainment of food security outcomes ” There is no way we can achieve food security globally when the voice of the extension worker is not heard. Extension workers are key stakeholders that link research with the farmers” remarked Dr Ngwenya. She intimated that Uganda was one of the four project sites globally; and was chosen among the many due to its strong leadership to guide implementation and yield good results. UFAAS was chosen as a key partner due its excellent track record of implementing grants, according to Dr Ngwenya.
Speaking at the launch, the Minister noted that the GP-SAEP project gives an opportunity to discuss broadly a promising integrated and holistic approach to achieving food systems transformation by addressing issues related to food & agricultural production and commercialisation systems. He also noted that agroecology and its ecosystem have become high on the agenda in Uganda and globally, and underscored the contribution of agroecology towards the desired transformation.
Hon. Fred Bwino Kyakulaga (C) launching the GP-SAEP Project, witnessed by GFRAS Project Coordinator Dr Hlami Ngwenya (Left), UFAAS Board Chairperson Ms Adeline Muheebwa (2nd Left), and UFAAS CEO Ms Beatrice Luzobe (Right)
The Minister also said that farmers’ traditional knowledge combined with innovation in practices and the sustainable use of technologies is at the core of an agroecological farming system, and called upon stakeholders to embrace agroecology.
”In Uganda, there is a strong call for transforming food production systems and consumption patterns sustainably through farmer adaptation and building resilience to the increasing challenges of climate change, addressing issues of nutritional food availability”.
Some of the implementing team members at the launch
Additionally, the minister re-assured that the agricultural sector transformation is on course and that this transformation calls for an organized system of all stakeholders to ensure sustainable utilization of natural resources for the present as well as future generations. He pledged to support the GP-SAEP project activities to achieve the intended objectives, which are also aligned with the national priorities.
During the same event, the Minister commissioned the key personnel in implementation of the project including: Master Trainers, Agroecological Fellows (AE), and Young Entrepreneurs for Rural Access (ERA).
Minister Fred Bwino Kyakulaga (4th left), commissioning Master Trainers witnessed by officials from UFAAS, AFAAS, and GFRAS.
In her message, the Board Chairperson of UFAAS Ms Adeline Muheebwa recognised the efforts of the Government of Uganda through the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal industry and Fisheries to implement the pluralistic approach of agricultural extension. She said that the GP-SAEP project will help to enhance agricultural extension in Uganda, and that the Project Master Trainers would help to train 60 rural advisory service (RAS) facilitators on agroecology, and provide backstopping at field level during the project period. Ms Muheebwa cited a number of issues in agricultural extension in Uganda, and called upon the Government to streamline issues of coordination efforts by putting in place a body for accreditation of agricultural extension.
For more details, please see:
- i) Video about the GP-SAEP Project: https://youtu.be/0Tq5q-h3M_4
- ii) PPT Slides from the Launch of the GP-SAEP Project
- iii) Video highlight from the Launch of the GP-SAEP Project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQSX66DjHTI
- iv) Photos from the Launch of the GP-SAEP Project
About the GP-SAEP Project:
The Global Forum for Rural Advisory Services (GFRAS) is implementing an Agroecology project in close collaboration with International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). The project called ‘Global Programme for Small-scale Agroecology Producers and Sustainable Food Systems Transformation (GP-SAEP)’ is part of the larger funding envelope provided by the European Commission (EC) and the Belgian Development Cooperation, aiming at addressing key barriers for scaling up agroecology and the transition to sustainable food systems for small-scale producers (farmers and agri-food Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) in Africa and Latin America & the Caribbean (LAC). The overall GP SAEP started in the first quarter of 2023 and will run until June 2026.
The Programme is structured around four components. Component 1) Improving access to inputs including seeds, bio-inputs and mechanical equipment; Component 2) Increasing value addition and markets for agroecological producers; Component 3) Enhancing Rural Advisory Services (RAS) and farmer-to-farmer joint learning for small-scale producers in transition to agroecology; and Component 4) Improving Economic and Financial Analysis of investments (EFA+) tools, to assess the impact and benefit of investments in rural agri-food sector.
About 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 correspondence, please contact:
Ms Beatrice Luzobe
Chief Executive Officer, UFAAS
Email: ufaas2013@gmail.com
Article written by Elizabeth Asiimwe (UFAAS) and Sharon Ibenu (AFAAS). Photos taken by Sharon Ibenu.