Give 35 families food security in Uganda

Through the Grains for Growth programme, Act4Africa is working to change the face of farming in Mayuge. By continuously engaging farmers through training, support visits, and practical guidance, there has been a noticeable improvement in their knowledge, attitudes, and farming practices.

The programme is also contributing to improved health and wellbeing among families by supporting farmers to increase food production and ensure that they have food for longer periods. As farmers gain new skills and apply improved farming practices, they are becoming more confident and better able to meet the food needs of their households.

On 27 August, a support visit was made to farmers to find out how they were preparing for the upcoming planting season, share experiences from the previous season, and discuss the way forward for the new season. The visit provided an opportunity to interact with farmers, understand the progress they were making, and offer guidance where needed.

It was still exciting to see that farmers were taking advantage of backyard farming. Nabirye, one of the farmers in the programme, shared that she no longer spends money buying onions because she now grows them in her compound. This is a result of the training she received in March, which encouraged her to make use of the available space around her home for food production.

To our amazement, farmers were still feeling encouraged by the noticeable improvements they had experienced during the previous season. Their harvests had given them renewed confidence in applying the knowledge and practices gained through the programme. One farmer proudly shared:

“I was excited after harvesting three bags, compared to the one bag I had harvested previously. All this happened after the training, which enabled me to change my farming methods and adopt new ones.”

Nabirye was also preparing to plant for the new season and had properly stored seeds from the previous harvest. During the support visit, she received additional guidance on the appropriate medicine to spray before planting to prevent the weeds that had previously affected her plantation. She also learned about the appropriate treatment for soaking her seeds before planting, which would help them perform better and achieve improved results.

Another farmer who had already planted was also visited. It was encouraging to find that she had followed the recommended procedures correctly. Her fellow farmers advised her to immediately weed her garden so that the maize could grow well and have adequate access to nutrients.

The continued support and engagement with farmers are helping them put their knowledge into practice and learn from one another. These visits also provide an opportunity for farmers to share their experiences, celebrate their successes, identify challenges, and find practical solutions together.

Through the Grains for Growth programme, farmers in Mayuge are gradually gaining the knowledge, confidence, and skills needed to improve their farming practices, increase food production, and contribute to the health and wellbeing of their families.

Thank you so much for your continued support, process by process, practices are improving, yields increasing & food security is getting better in families.