Improving lives of 500 rural farmers in N. Uganda

In 2019, the farming activities started in high gear with validation of farmers who are gong to get involve into producing Soya bean and Sunflower as agreed with investor based in the community. The goal was to mobilize 450 individual farmers into 30 members per group but due to high demand, we are having over 38 groups with a total of more than 1,140 members.

FICH is now supporting the formation and establishment of functional groups with lead farmers who will help in managing demonstration centers that will be set up in each location of the groups in the next month. We will make sure all farmers receive appropriate training on product specific cultivation and post-harvest handling.

The establishment of market has been sorted out with the available investor and working closely with these organized farmers. The investor also agreed to provide product specifications such as product type, quantity per growing season, quality, packaging and delivery terms.

This is an opportunity for FICH, communities and government to review context specific approaches, establish good practices and scale up successful activities in agriculture sector.

In the next few months, we will update you more with impact of this collaboration and support to these subsistence farmers. Thank you very much for your support!

The program kicked off successful with more than 400 farmers reached and baseline information gathered to assess their current household income and obligation. From the assessment, we found that on average farmers earn $8 income per month while supporting about eight family members. FICH is determine through this project, to increase and enhance capacity of these farmers to be productive and gain more profits in their farming activities. During the assessment, we realized farmers lack market information, appropriate skills & access to market and they are earning what cannot pay education, health services for their children and buy what to eat in the family.

In an effort to organize farmers, we have identified and now grouping farmers in a manageable number of 30 members per group. The next step will be supporting them to develop operating rules, helping them to select their leaders based on the operating rules. FICH will ensure the farmers receive appropriate training such as product-specific cultivation and post-harvest.

So far, there is a good sign of local investors to work closely with these organized farmers and they agreed to sign a buy and sale agreement with farmers’ groups in compliance with the general accepted fair-trade principles. The investors also agreed to provide product specifications such as product type, quantity per growing season, quality, packaging and delivery terms.

We are hoping that, in the month of November and December 2018, we will be able to fund the total amount here to support this development.

Thank you so much for your generous donation. Please, keep speaking about our project to your friends and family so we can fully fund this initiative. You are part of us, so let make this a success we will have made huge changes in the lives of the most vulnerable children and women including their families.