Danida’s sh90b agricultural project registers great strides

Dec 22, 2009

A STORY is told that the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) can spend sh100,000 to investigate on someone who has failed to account for sh1,000. This is done in their bid to demonstrate to the public that they do not entertain corruption in

By Ronald Kalyango

A STORY is told that the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) can spend sh100,000 to investigate on someone who has failed to account for sh1,000. This is done in their bid to demonstrate to the public that they do not entertain corruption in all their funded projects.

In fact, because of the fear attached to Danida funds, great strides are always registered in all their projects and so is the case with the ending Agricultural Sector Programme Support (ASPS II) which began in 2004 and ends this month with the launch of a new programme, U-Growth.

ASPS has been a large and diverse programme, spending around sh90b in a wide range of activities and through a range of support modalities.
“The diversity of the programme has been the strength of ASPS. We have been involved in policy dialogues and support to the agriculture ministry,” said Rilla Norslund, the ASPS II senior advisor.

Norslund was on Wednesday speaking at the ceremony to launch ‘the lessons learnt from ASPS II’s implementation’ held at Serena Hotel in Kampala.

The lessons, ranging from agricultural research, funding innovations, agricultural value chains, supporting enterprises among others, were launched by the state minister for Agriculture, Aggrey Bagiire.

The Danish Ambassador, Nathalia Feinberg, said the programme benefitted more than 300,000 farmers and agribusiness directly. She said the farmers and businesses had accessed business development services, loans, training, coaching, infrastructure and vouchers-for-work. The successes and innovations developed under ASPS will be carried forward into the U-Growth programme which is expected to commence in January 2010, Feinberg said.

Agribusiness

ASPS II provided capacity building, mentoring and institutional support and funding to over 70 farmer organisations.
The initiative supported over 600 business proposals from farmer organisations and their member groups with an estimated 230,000 farmers benefiting as a direct result of these interventions.

It also worked with five commercial banks by strengthening their capacity to engage in agricultural lending. This improved farmers’ access to financial services through the Agribusiness Development Component (ABDC) support and capacity building. 688 leases worth sh4.7b have been accessed by farmers and a range of new agricultural leasing products have been developed specifically for farmers.

Small and medium agricultural enterprises accessed over sh28b through 1,180 loans from commercial banks through the ABDC. In addition, over 40 stakeholder platforms for value chains in coffee, maize and sunflower have been established at national and district levels.

Rehabilitation of livelihoods in northern Uganda

Under the Restoration of Agricultural Livelihoods in Northern Uganda (RALNUC) component, ASPS provided a range of support to internally displaced people returning home to take up agricultural livelihoods in three districts of Lango region.

As a result 3,000 kilometres of community access roads were rehabilitated, 840 acres of woodlot established and 242 water points protected.

Also, 100 cattle crushes were constructed, 51 market places rehabilitated, six tree nurseries established, five cattle dip tanks and three water dams constructed by communities engaged in the component.
RALNUC supported 100,000 households in Oyam, Lira and Apac with agricultural training and demonstration activities. Participants earned sh3.9b in vouchers and cash for working on public works projects.

Agricultural training

Over 1000 young farmers in the five districts supported by ASPS II, received practical training in farming as a business, through the district in agricultural training and information centres (DATICs). DATIC activities resulted in the formation of 125 agricultural youth clubs. Over 22,000 farmers accessed training and information services.

Agricultural Advisory Services

ASPS contributed to the NAADS programme through basket funding with other development partners.
The NAADS programme provides advisory services in all districts of Uganda and has been successful in the introduction of improved technology, farmer empowerment.

Agricultural research

ASPS II supported the establishment of a pioneer competitive research scheme. So far 44 research projects have been supported, 169 scientists have received training and over 320 research technologies and practices were accessed by uptake pathways.

Support to innovation and piloting
Through ASPS, the Agribusiness Development Component piloted a mentoring programme where mentors were attached to managers of enterprises and helped them set targets and overcome challenges.

A total of 17 enterprises have benefited from the initiative. Also, a total of 280,000 radio listeners on 18 radio stations are accessing market price information from FIT Uganda courtesy of ASPS. Market price information on 44 commodities from 18 districts and markets is also circulated to 2,900 email subscribers and circulated in The New Vision on Saturdays.

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