SACCOs Urged to Fulfill their Membership Obligations

Uganda Cooperative Savings and Credit Union (UCSCU), chairperson, Jalia Bintu Lukumu has asked SACCOs to fulfill their membership obligations to enable the smooth running of the projects.

While addressing the SACCO chairpersons under their umbrella body UCSCU at the 45th annual general meeting on 4th October 2019 held at UCSCU SACCO academy in Maganjo, Kampala district, Hon. Bintu who is also the chairperson of the parliamentarians SACCO urged cooperators to fulfill their commitments to the project to enable the Union business progress.

“I thank all SACCOs that have made their contributions during the year. However, as Board, we have concern over a few SACCOs which have not fully met their membership obligations and we ask them to do so. We invite a discussion on this matter to ensure that our Union business remains a going and growing concern.” Bintu said.

She, however, thanked all the partners who have supported the Union throughout the year; the mother Ministry of Trade Industry and Cooperatives, Ministry of Finance Planning and Economic Development, Cooperative Development Foundation of Canada (CDF), Savings Banks Foundation for International Cooperation (SBFIC) and others.

Bintu adds that, as the chairperson, her focus in the coming financial year will be on enhancing the union’s relevance to its members, mobilizing the members to increase patronage of the union products and services and establishment of a regional chapter system.

Dr. Sylvester Ndiroramukama, the Chief Executive Officer said, there was a great improvement in participation of SACCOs in UCSCU, adding that, 16 new member SACCOs joined the family this year to bring the total membership to 1,295 SACCOs.

“The Union has continued to register success with more members joining the family. We have now expanded our capacity to 1,295 members. Membership dues contributed amounted to 190millions in entrance fees, annual subscriptions, and national education fund.” Ndiroramukama said.

Ndiroramukama, however, noted that this was 67% performance against the annual target of 285M. He also pointed out the poor performance in the overall union’s business income where the union realized only 505M against the annual target of 1Bn. He attributed poor performance to customized trainings from SACCOs which contributed only 15% and the consultancy income from Project for Financial Inclusion in Rural Areas (PROFIRA) trainings from SACCOs which realized only 52%.

Mr. Naalima Benedicto, the Supervisory Committee (SUPCO) chairman said despite considerable achievements registered this year, UCSCU faced numerous challenges. He pointed out an impairment loss of USh. 5,076,609 which was registered in the last financial year, lack of experience and knowledge about debt collection by the staff and loan committees visa-a-vis many ageing loans amounting to USh.8,979,324, which have reached irrecoverable stage, expensive internal and external audit services, which consume a whooping USh.16,514,000, expensive and poor-quality stationery including printing costs, which took USh. 5,660,000, expensive accounting software installation, among others.

Naalima noted that the board members need to intensify lobbying practices to engage more partners like the donors and government grants as a way of fighting the weak financial positions for both UCSCU and SACCOs.

He urged cooperators to look for all activities and opportunities that seriously aim at building the strongest sustainable union and member SACCOs in general.

Uganda Cooperative Savings and Credit Union is a National Apex body for Savings and Credit Cooperative Organizations (SACCOs). UCSCU was founded in 1972 and is currently registered under the Cooperative Societies Act 1991 and Cooperative Societies Regulations 1992.

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Man Arrested for Defrauding SACCOs in Museveni’s Name

ARUA. The police of Arua have arrested a man for conning more than shs.2m from 15 savings and credit cooperative organization (SACCO) groups in River Oli Division, Arua Municipality.

Brahan Sabir, a resident of Tanganyika ward in River Oli Division was arrested on Monday following complaints from the affected SACCO group members.

The SACCOs allege that Sabir duped them to surrender to him shs150,000 each, with a promise of helping them get shs.30m each, which he said was part of shs.600m President Yoweri Museveni recently handed over to Jackson Atima, a renowned businessman in Arua town at State House, Entebbe.

Salita Dawa, a member of Obolokofuku East SACCO group said Sabir approached them on September 24, 2019 claiming that the President had given Atima shs.600m to be given out to SACCO groups from cell to cell in Arua Municipality.

According to Annet Amaguru, another victim from Oli D United women SACCO, Sabir told them that he went along with Atima to meet President Museveni who handed over to them shs.600m.

“We then asked him about the requirements for a SACCO to benefit from the money, and he told us that he needed shs.150, 000 from each of us(SACCOs) to qualify for the shs.30m support from the President. That’s how we quickly mobilized the money and gave him,” Dawa told theCooperator.

“The promise was that we would receive the money(shs.30million) two days after we met the condition (each SACCO parting with Shs. 150,000),” Salita said.

Things were however not to go as agreed. Dawa told theCooperator that after giving Sabir the money, he immediately got out of reach, prompting them to call Atima – the alleged recipient of Shs.600m from President Museveni on behalf of the SACCOs.

But when contacted, Atima frantically denied ever being involved with Sabir or any such project, saying that he had not even had a formal meeting with President Museveni this year. He called Sabir’s claims “a total lie.”

“That is when we came to police to report the matter that led to his arrest,” Dawa added.

Davis Lusamba, the officer in charge of the Criminal Investigations Department at Arua Central Police Station (CPS) confirmed Sabir’s arrest and said police is still assembling evidence by merging all the complainants’ files to build a strong case against the suspect.

“We received several complaints from the affected SACCO groups and I’m now recording all the statements of the complainants before charging Sabir,” he said.

He encouraged all those who may have equally been conned by Sabir but were yet to report, to come to Arua Central Police Station to also record their statements against him.

When theCooperator contacted Atima, he confirmed the developments but remained consistent he was not in any way involved with Sabir. “In any case, I have been so resourceful to the party (NRM) in Arua Municipality sometimes using my personal money to fund party activities. Why would I then ask for money from these SACCOs first in order to get support from President Museveni if indeed he had given it?” Atima asked.

He said Sabir’s decision to con the SACCOs was criminal, for which he must face the full force of the law.

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Learning from Others’ Mistakes has enabled Masaka SACCO to Thrive for 2 Decades

Started as a village Savings Club in Masaka Municipality, Masaka Micro-Finance and Development Co-operative Trust Limited has emerged as the biggest Micro Finance Institution in Masaka sub-region.

MAMIDECOT, as the now –member society is commonly known, was established in the wake of the collapse of Masaka Farmers’ Cooperative Union, which for many years was the main go-to financial institution for many people in the area, majority of whom were known, farmers and practicing traders.

In 1999, 34 like-minded people converged to pull together resources in a savings group to tend to their financial needs. At the time, none of the members could have predicted the society’s looming exponential growth, says the SACCO’s board chairperson, Methodius Kasujja.

He says the institution was started as an elementary village savings scheme, and only progressively evolved into a bigger idea that was eventually embraced by other locals who begun to devote their loyalty to it.

“We agreed that each of the 34 members contributes a share capital of 100,000 shillings, and in a period of two months, we had accumulated at least Shs.6.4 million shillings all together, with which the SACCO was commissioned,” Kasujja told theCooperator.

He said that the SACCO initially benefited from the goodwill of its members, noting that its first equipment – chairs, desks, padlocks and a motorcycle, were all obtained as donations from members.

Similarly, he says, board members also volunteered their services, working for the first three years without any allowances and dividends. They also chose not to share the profits obtained on loans but to reinvest them in the SACCO.

This selflessness and dedication of the SACCO’s membership and leaders was critical to its survival. But its breakthrough would come two years later.

In 2001, the SACCO board moved to tap into a funding opportunity offered through the United Nations Development Program. Kasujja says, the program supported them with seed funding of Shs.22 million, which the SACCO added to its loan portfolio. UNDP also donated to them office furniture, a vault (metallic safe box) and typewriter.

Soon after, another opportunity would come knocking. As the 2001 election campaigns gained momentum, one of SACCO’s board members lobbied for and was granted Shs.5million from President Museveni, who was on his campaign trail in the greater Masaka sub-region.

“From then on, we (the SACCO) gained significant strength in terms of financial liquidity and public trust, because we were now able to lend more people,” says Kasujja.

Reasons for Resilience

On October 31st MAMIDECOT will now be celebrating 20 years of existence. From the 34 members with whom it started, it has since grown to 27,000 members. During that time, it has witnessed a number of SACCOs emerge, only to close shop before marking their 5th anniversary.

So what has MAMIDECOT done differently? Kasujja attributes their SACCO’s resilience to a strong foundation, but also being willing to learn from the failure of its colleague SACCOs. “Whenever another SACCO closes, we try to find out why, and avoid repeating the same mistakes,” he says.

At its inception, the SACCO’s founding Board Chairperson Everest Kayondo had discouraged the idea of having political or religious groups interfere in the management of the institution despite its broad base. That advice, later adopted as a culture at the SACCO has proved consequential to the SACCO’s survival.

“It (the SACCO) became an area of convergence of people with different opinions in all aspects of social life. The SACCO management at all times strives to remain neutral and transparent in everything they do, which has earned it members’ trust and commitment to its growth,” Kayondo said.

Of MAMIDECOT’s 27,000 members, approximately 20,000 are involved in the agricultural value-chain. As such, the SACCO offers affordable loan products along the entire value chain, only charging 2 percent interest rate on Agriculture and 2.5 percent on trade.

The SACCO’s loan portfolio now stands at Shs.12 billion, with member share capital at Shs.7.5 billion and overall working capital at Shs.16 billion.

With growth in capital available for member borrowing, Kasujja says the SACCO is now able to make an annual gross profit of at least a billion shillings, becoming the leading microfinance institution in the entire greater Masaka sub-region.

Wasswa Ssempijja, the Community Development Officer Masaka District says the SACCO has been a model in the district. “They have a religious book-keeping culture and have been strict on ensuring that members uphold their loan obligations. Other SACCOs should borrow a leaf,” he told theCooperator .

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The Coffee Bill: Farmers Call for Consultation

Coffee farmers have asked the government to carry out extensive consultation and educate them about the National Coffee Bill that is currently before parliament.

Speaking at the celebration to mark the international coffee day held at Ankole Coffee Producers Cooperative Union grounds in Kabwohe on Friday, the coffee farmers said they are confused by the content of the Bill and do not understand its intentions.

In April this year, the government tabled before parliament the National Coffee Bill 2018, for first reading, before it was referred to the House’s committee on agriculture for scrutiny.

In the Bill, the government through Uganda Coffee Development Authority intends to regulate the coffee industry by registering all coffee farmers in the country, license coffee farmers and also undertake research activities.

The Bill also seeks to repeal and replace the Uganda Coffee Development Authority Act, Cap.325 that was passed in 1994, provide for the registration of nursery operators, coffee farmer organisations, cooperatives, and coffee value chain actors and the issuance of licenses.

Julius Kamusiime, a coffee farmer from Ntungamo district asked the government to educate farmers about proposals contained in the Bill and explain the intention of the Bill to farmers before parliament considers it.

Hassan Baguma, another coffee farmer, said most farmers are illiterate and cannot interpret the Bill on their own. According to Baguma, there is a need for wide consultations by Parliament on the Bill before passing it to law.

Meanwhile, a section of farmer cooperatives has welcomed the proposal in the Bill to register coffee farmers saying it would go a long way in streamlining activities of the sector.

“The registration of farmers is a good development and should be embraced by the locals,” said John Nuwagaba, the general manager of Ankole Coffee Producers Cooperative Union.

He called on farmer’s association to educate their members “on the importance of organised and planned farming.”

The Union’s chairman Jonath Tweyambe, said the union has been carrying out registration of their members and this has helped them plan for inputs and effectively carry out technical services such as field visits.

Speaking at the function on Friday, Agriculture Minister Vincent Bamulangaki Sempijja announced that the government will soon embark on educating farmers about the National Coffee Bill, 2018 “so that they are not discouraged from coffee farming.”

He dispelled the rumour that the Bill aims at introducing new taxes in the sector.

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Nakuru farmers urged to join saccos to boost income

When Nakuru Governor Lee Kinyanjui took office in 2017, revamping of the agriculture sector was one of his flagship projects.

In his manifesto, Governor Kinyanjui promised to revive the lucrative sector.

Two years after he took office, the county chief, who is in an ambitious plan to reinvigorate the sector, is now banking on cooperative societies to put more profits in farmers’ pockets.

Over the past few months, Mr Kinyanjui’s administration has been working to revitalise cooperatives and encouraging farmers to form new ones in bid to help them tap into market opportunities and boost their income.

PROTECT FARMERS

According to the county government, cooperative societies are the best way to protect farmers from exploitation by middlemen and attract government funding.

“Most farmers in crop and dairy farming are not tapping maximum market potential because they are not members of cooperatives. My administration and the national government is keen to help farmers organised in cooperatives,” said Governor Kinyanjui in an interview with the Nation.

He added, “We are in talks with the national government and development partners to help farmers avoid post-harvest losses through establishment of, for instance, cold rooms for produce like potatoes and carrots and value addition factories.

VALUE ADDITION

Those targeted by the Nakuru government include dairy farmers, whom the county wants to help tap into value addition for their milk so that they can compete effectively in the market.

Other products targeted are coffee, potatoes and avocados among other crops.

The county government seeks to help farmers create market linkages to tap into the insatiable international market.

It is also seeking to revive pyrethrum farming and inject new life into the collapsed, yet lucrative sector.

The county government plans to distribute seedlings worth Sh45 million to farmers in the 2019/2020 financial year.

FOOD BASKET

Nakuru, regarded as a key food basket in the Rift Valley region, is an agriculturally rich county and a leading producer of potatoes, carrots, milk, vegetables and pyrethrum among other crops.

Molo, Kuresoi South and North, Subukia, Njoro and Bahati are among the county’s main agricultural producers.

Governor Kinyanjui has now challenged farmers to move from subsistence farming and penetrate the high-value export market, besides joining cooperatives to help access services and market their produce.

“My administration has initiated plans to ensure Nakuru exports her crops to East African countries like Uganda and also international markets including Europe. I urge farmers to seek ways of optimising there production,” stated Mr Kinyanjui.

SACCOS

Currently, there are at least 500 cooperatives and saccos in the county.

County executives for Trade and Agriculture have been holding sensitisation forums across Nakuru to encourage farmers to join cooperatives.

The county is also developing a legislation that will support SACCOs and cooperative movements.

According to Trade CEC Raymond Komen, the County Cooperatives Revolving Bill is awaiting approval by the assembly and once passed it will give an affordable source of credit for cooperative and SACCOs development within Nakuru.

Some of the cooperative societies the county is targeting include Olenguruone Dairy Farmers Cooperative Society, Suka Farmers Cooperatives Society in Subukia among others.

IMPROVE QUALITY

Agriculture CEC Immaculate Maina, while addressing French bean farmers in Subukia recently, reiterated the importance of linking with ward and sub-county agriculture officers and to work collectively to improve their product and service quality and reduce risks.

Dr Maina further urged the farmers to join cooperatives.

She also encouraged farmers to register at their respective sub-county offices so as to benefit from subsidised farm inputs.

“Registered farmers have access to cheaper fertilizer and seedlings provided by the national and county governments,” she said.

Nakuru Cooperative Commissioner Naftali Omari in an interview with the Nation also said the county government is keen on promoting cooperative societies in the region. (Source/ Daily Nation)

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Museveni Pledges Shs.100 million towards the I.K.Musaazi Innovations Institute

President Museveni has hailed the late Ignatius Kangave Musaazi for his role in fighting for Uganda’s Independence, saying he was one of the foremost liberators of the African continent.

Museveni, who was speaking as the Chief Guest at the I.K Musaazi memorial lecture and fundraising dinner at Sheraton Hotel in Kampala last Friday, said Africa’s problems started with the arrival of explorers who prepared the ground for the colonialists to come and rule Africa, before applauding Musaazi for contributing towards fighting “these foreign forces.”

“That’s how Musaazi gains relevance, the colonialists found Africans disorganized. People were busy fighting one another and the Europeans captured them like grasshoppers. That’s where people like Musaazi come in, he came to fill a vacuum. Africa was in danger, the king’s had failed to protect us,” Museveni said.

Earlier, Dr. Ssimba Ssali from Makerere University’s Department of Political Science had given a keynote address at the memorial lecture, highlighting Musaazi’s contribution towards Uganda’s Independence. He described Musaazi as a patriot who was not interested in attaining power, but using it to transform people.

Dr. Ssimba traced Musaazi’s struggles to the early 1930s, noting that from the time he was a youth, he started organizing locals into Cooperatives, farmers’ and trade Unions, before going on to form Uganda’s first political party – the Uganda National Congress that became a leading front for agitation for the interests of the natives and Independence.

First Deputy Prime Minister Kirunda Kivenjinja, who referred to the late Musaazi as a “personal friend” said it’s important to keep his legacy alive, noting that it is a duty each country owes to its heroes.

“It required somebody of a high sense of duty like Musaazi to liberate Uganda at the time, with a force of peasants. Musaazi proved that even peasants can be organized for a greater cause, and his legacy needs to be preserved for posterity,” Kivejinja added.

Musaazi is one of Uganda’s nationally acknowledged heroes, and one of only two to be buried at the National Heroes corner at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds. He died on 20th October 1990 aged 85.

The memorial lecturer and fundraising dinner were jointly organized by the Uhuru Institute for Social Development, Vision Group, the Musaazi family, and the I.K.Musaazi memorial foundation, for which President Museveni is the

patron.

The lecture was the 4th of its kind since it became an annual calendar event in 2016, while the fundraising dinner was organized as part of the activities geared towards raising funds for the construction of the IK Musaazi Innovations institute, envisioned to teach Patriotism, self-help and cooperatives philosophy among students.

Elizabeth Musaazi, one of Musaazi’s daughters who also serves as the chairperson of I.K. Musaazi Memorial Foundation told theCooperator that the Institute will be another way of remembering and honoring Musaazi: “We think it’s not enough to have him (Musaaz) buried at the heroes’ corner. He deserves more, and that’s partly why we’re building an institute in his name.”

Museveni commended the idea of setting up the institute and promised that he would contribute Shs.100 million towards the project. “Musaazi abandoned his comfort to fight for the Freedom of his country. It’s very good to acknowledge and salute such people who did good work in the past. That’s how you encourage others to do the same,” he said.

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Youth Called Upon to Emulate Musaazi and form Cooperatives

Rev. Canon Benon Kityo of Namirembe Diocese has called on the young people to emulate the late Ignatius Kangave Musaazi, who is celebrated as a nationalist and patriot for fostering the development of cooperatives and pushing for independence in Uganda.

Rev. Canon Benon Kityo was speaking at the thanksgiving prayers held at St Paul’s Cathedral Namirembe to kick start the Ignatius Musaazi memorial week.

He described the late Musaazi as a hero whose legacy still lives with us from which, the youth should take lessons.

“We thank God for Musaazi, even if he died, he is still with us, his legacy lives among us. Ignatius had a vision, he might not have achieved all that he dreamt of, but he was a visionary. So as we gather here to remember him, as a youth, you also do something to change the world,” Rev. Kityo advised.

Speaking as Chief Guest on behalf of Charles Peter Mayiiga, the Katikiiro of Buganda, Henry Sekabembe Kiberu, the Minister for Youth in the kingdom of Buganda, said Musaazi served above self to better the lives of others.

“This man is an inspiration to all of us, especially the youth of this country. He is a genuine patriot and nationalist. If we are to have IK Musaazi of our generation, we need to inculcate values in our young people. I appeal to the youth in this country to pick lessons from the late patriot.”

Among other things, Ignatius Kangave Musaazi, together with Abubaker Kakyaama Mayanja formed Uganda National Congress that agitated for Uganda’s independence. He also organised farmers and workers against colonial exploitation.

Usher Wilson Owere, chairman worker’s union which was started by the late Musaazi called on the government to develop strategies to revive co-operatives as a way of engaging the youth.

Joyce Namuli from Youth Association for Rural Farmers said there is a need to engage, organise and encourage the youth to form cooperatives as a vehicle to building wealth among young people.

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Rice Farmers in East Africa to Benefit from $3million Grant

Rice farmers in East Africa are set to benefit from a US$3.1 million grant to a rice sector promotion project which will be implemented over a period of three years.

The Competitive African Rice Initiative in East Africa (CARI-EA), which is being implemented jointly by the East African Community (EAC) and Kilimo Trust (KT) seeks to improve the rice sub-sector in the region. The project was approved for funding by Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) in April 2019 and is now at the initial stage of implementation.

The project targets to reach 660,000 farming households (220,000 directly and 440,000 indirectly impacted). It aims to contribute to the inclusive transformation of the rice sector in East Africa for a sustainable increase in incomes of women, men and young people employed in the value chain of locally produced rice.

The 13th Meeting of the Sectoral Council on Agriculture and Food Security held in Arusha, Tanzania was informed that the project will be implemented over a period of 36 months (April 15th, 2019 – April 14th, 2022).

The project funding is worth US$3,133,378 courtesy of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the German International Cooperation Agency (GIZ) through the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), whereby EAC will receive a grant of USD 322,600.

CARI-EA will support the EAC Secretariat to address the most critical bottlenecks in creating an enabling environment for structured trade in rice at both national and regional levels.

Key activities will include supporting EAC partner state governments to develop clear rice development plans and mobilize private sector investments in rice mills as well as public sector investments in irrigated rice schemes.

CARI-EA will also support private sector millers to utilize opportunities at the national, regional and extra-regional levels through strengthened market linkages to ensure sustainable rice supply. The project will also carry out assessment of supply chain and logistical constraints and opportunities that hinder processors from attaining desired quality and quantity of paddy from smallholder farmers.

To ensure that farmers sustainably increase productivity to supply the contracted volumes of paddy agreed with SMEs and large traders, CARI-EA will promote the use of irrigation technologies and use of residual moisture during the dry season for a second crop e.g. vegetables or beans so as to enable income continuity for farmers over the year while increasing household food security and reduction in vulnerability.

On its part, the EAC secretariat will aim to develop an EAC rice trade strategy involving all partner states, establish the EAC Regional rice platform and increase the membership of private sector processors and rice value chain actors in the industry platform, and undertake research into the issues affecting rice regional trade.

The Secretariat will also establish rice traceability and certification mechanism for locally produced rice in the EAC and promote the Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) protocol already developed by the Community.

“The ultimate aim of the project is to unlock constraints that hinder regional rice trade and thus catalyse growth by stimulating investment, create competitiveness and inclusiveness in the rice industry,” said EAC in a press statement released Thursday evening in Arusha.

Furthermore, CARI-EA will partner with National Agricultural Research Centres and seed agencies in partner states to ensure that enough breeder seed is available for multiplication by commercial rice seed companies.

On aflatoxin control and management, the Sectoral Council urged partner states to address the issue of aflatoxin as a serious matter by putting in place measures to address contamination and disposal challenges along with the food and feeds value chains.

The Community adopted the EAC Aflatoxin Prevention and Control Strategy, Action Plan and Results Framework.

The agricultural sectorcontributes between 24 and 44% of partner states’ GDPs and employs between 70 – 80% of the population in the region.

She added that it was a key sector in the transformation and development of EAC partner states, particularly in employment creation and increasing national agriculture export earnings.

EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of the productive and social sectors, Christophe Bazivamo, said that the region has a huge potential for agricultural production, but the sector was facing challenges related to food insecurity, climate change, and trade.

“The sector supports over 80% of the population and is the main source of raw materials for industries in the region. More than 70% of the industries in the region are agro-based and agricultural commodities and products constitute about 65% of the volume of intra-regional trade,” said Bazivamo.

He noted that region has been experiencing a decline in intra-regional trade over the last five years yet trade was essential for the promotion of agricultural production and industrial development.

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Scientists root for Organic Farming as a buffer against Food Insecurity

Kampala, Uganda: Scientists have warned against future food insecurity if Uganda’s Agricultural sector does not mainstream use of organic farming practices to preserve land fertility and sustain reasonable productivity.

Speaking at the launch of a report on the Status of Agro-ecology and Livelihood Systems Capacity in Uganda at the Cardinal Nsubuga Leadership Training Institute last Friday, Dr. Joseph Ssekandi, the Dean, Faculty of Agriculture at Uganda Martyrs University noted that only 17.9 percent of youth are engaged in agroecological activities compared to their counterparts above 50 years.

Ssekandi further noted that some farmers were even using harmful chemicals to prop up production, undermining land productivity in the long-term.

“In our research, we found that only 15.2 percent of smallholder farmers were aware of existing agroecology policies, and the majority (56.6%) used inorganic chemicals to control pests and diseases. Indeed, it is of public health concern that some farmers use rat poison as a pest control measure, as we found in Masaka and Kasese districts,” Ssekandi said.

The study, the first of its kind on the status of value chains in the adoption of agroecology among smallholder farmers in Uganda research was undertaken by Uganda Martyrs University under the African Center for Agro-ecology and Livelihood Systems, and was jointly funded by the Government of Uganda and the World Bank.

Researchers collected data from 14 districts in the 10 agro-ecological zones of Uganda. Among other findings, they concluded that women face greater risk of landlessness because while they have land access rights, they cannot sell the land off or offer it as collateral to access credit. Similarly, they found, youth lack security of tenure from land owners, which hinders their decision making on how the land is utilized.

Speaking at the report launch, Agriculture Minister Vincent Ssempijja noted that such research was critical in shaping decisions and policies. “Government of Uganda is aware that 65% of the population in Uganda relies on agriculture, and that our livelihoods must be sustained through profitable and proper use of the environment,” he said.

He expressed particular concern at some damning findings of the report, which found that 54.5 per cent of farmers rely on traditional methods to control pests and diseases, while only 31 percent of farmers had acquired organic certification. Moreover, the report found, as many as 92.2 percent of farmers depend on the seeds saved after harvest to regrow crops.

“We need to popularize the adoption of environmentally friendly practices such as mulching, intercropping and use of organic chemicals for farming,” said Ssempijja.

Alex Lwakuba, the Assistant Commissioner for Crop Production in the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries on his part noted that the ministry was moving to encourage the use of liquefied fertilizers as a way of increasing food production, in line with the rise in population.

“We can’t talk of Ugandans farming their way into the future when we still have just 249,000 certified organic farmers in Uganda out of the 5 million household farmers,” said Lwakuba.

Presently, Uganda’s population is estimated to be around at 44.27 million and is expected to shoot to 100 million by 2050. It(population) is estimated to grow at approximately 3.3 percent per year, while the rate of food production stands at 2.2 percent. It is this mismatch that has researchers worried that the population will over time have inadequate food to feed on unless immediate interventions are addressed.

As a solution, the report proposes the setting up of Agroecology Centers of Excellence to facilitate easy access to information, the coordination of research and development of organic agrochemicals to deal with pests and diseases.

Speaking at the closure of the launch, Uganda Martyrs University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Rev. Fr. John. C Maviri also urged government to implement the ban on buveera, noting that it would go a long way in conserving the environment. “Our land has been poisoned by buveera. I am a farmer and each time I dig, what I get is buveera,” he lamented!

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Nawangwe calls for Government Sponsorship for Research-focused Graduate Students

Kampala, Uganda: Makerere University Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe has appealed to the government to revive sponsorship for graduate students, arguing that this will transition Makerere into a research-intensive University pivotal to Uganda’s development needs.

Nawangwe made the appeal on Wednesday during the Inaugural Makerere University Agricultural week organized by Students from the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at Makerere University, on which President Museveni was chief Guest.

The event, which featured several on-going student innovations in the fields of agro-processing was intended to showcase inroads made by the institution into agricultural research. Addressing the President, Nawangwe noted:

“We (Makerere) are transiting into a more research-intensive University and that means; we need to increase the ratio of graduate students. We would like to request that the government considers reviving sponsorship for graduate students.”

In the financial year 2019/2020, Government earmarked Shs.30 billion towards supporting research at Makerere University. While Nawangwe acknowledged the importance of the financial support, he argued that more impact would be made if graduate students doing Masters and PhD programs can also receive scholarship from government.

The Vice-Chancellor noted that government sponsorship for graduate students was stopped in the early ’80s and called upon the government to revive it, arguing that “all studies show that the modern economy depends on a critical mass of graduate cadres.”

Presently, Government only sponsors 4000 students annually to pursue undergraduate studies at public universities. Since 2014, it has also set up a student loan scheme, in which financially handicapped students unable to qualify for government sponsorship can apply for study loans to be repaid after school. Nawangwe says the same arrangement should be provided for graduate students.

Speaking after Nawangwe, Makerere University Council Chair Ms. Lorna Magara paid tribute to the innovating students, saying they were helping safeguard the University’s reputation as a center for research and innovation. “We have gathered today to witness the contribution of our scholars towards agricultural development. The exhibition is a demonstration of Makerere University’s commitment to the transformation of the agricultural sector through homegrown ideas and innovation,” she said

She pledged the University Councils’ commitment towards building an enabling environment for research and innovation at the University to support government efforts towards promoting food security, employment and increased export earnings through exploiting the various opportunities along the agricultural value chain.

“The strategic plan aims to transform Makerere into a research-led University, and we aim to build an ecosystem that links the national policy needs to research and innovations which should be able to guide the policies developed and ultimately the decisions taken at different levels of governance in the nation,” Ms Lorna Magara added

The University gifted the president with100kgs of the latest improved varieties of Mak-soybeans, which are the product of over 20 years’ investment in Soybean research at the Makerere University Agricultural Research Institute in Kabanyolo, Gayaza.

On his part, President Museveni applauded the Vice-Chancellor for “reorienting Makerere” to create order at the University, arguing that it was an orderly environment that was enabling these breakthroughs in research.

“This man from this remote place has added value to Makerere University, in the right direction, by telling you to concentrate on teaching and on research, not strikes and useless activities. I’m really very excited; I congratulate the professors for coming to reality to make training here a producer of what is needed,” he said.

The president also said he agreed with the vice chancellor’s proposal to recast funding to sponsor postgraduate students “especially those making research in sciences,” but stopped short of making any specific commitments on behalf of government.

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