COVID-19 | FARMING | DIGITAL

As Government continues to enforce the COVID-19 standard operating procedures, which include observing a social distance to minimise human contact, smallholder farmers have been struggling to access extension services in time.

This means it has been difficult for them to get agro-inputs, such as quality seeds and weed controls.

The same can be said of farming tips, which, before the pandemic, they would get during group meetings typically conducted at the chairperson's premises.

On top of that, it is very costly for an extension worker to move from an individual farmer to another, given the fact that extension workers are comparatively very few, according to the agriculture ministry, which is trying to address this by recruiting more of them.

But in this digital era, farmers now have a solution. They can now access agro-inputs and extension advice using mobile phones.

To further support farmers' produce, village agents, who collect produce from farmers, and agro-input dealers, have already been trained on how to use e-extension platforms. Photos by Prossy Nandudu

And one project has stepped in to support such groups with a digital-based project.

Sasakawa Africa Association Uganda, with support from the Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA) and the Japanese government, has come in to support smallholder farmers cope with the impact of the pandemic.

According to Roseline Nyamutale, the country manager of Sasakawa Global, extension services will be provided by e-extension platforms, including M-Omulimisa and Ezy Agric, which have a team of qualified extension agents, who will share vital farming knowledge through question-and-answer interactions with farmers.

The extension services will look at all challenges in the agriculture value chain. But the focus will be mainly on the promotion of food security and nutrition crops, such as iron-rich beans, Vitamin A-rich sweet potatoes and vegetables, so that farmers can not only be food-secure but also remain healthy to fight some diseases.

A farmer harvesting Sweet Potatoes.

SAA has been working hand in hand with smallholder farmers in Africa for over three decades.

To further support farmers' produce, village agents, who collect produce from farmers, and agro-input dealers, have already been trained on how to use e-extension platforms.

“Through this approach, extension service providers can reach many farmers without face-to-face meetings, which is also a strategy to prevent the transmission of COVID-19,” said Nyamutale.

It is understood that the innovation stems from findings from a study Sasakawa conducted last year, which revealed that due to travel restrictions following the pandemic, farmers experienced limited access to markets and agricultural inputs, on top of increased transaction costs, reduced food rations, savings and number of meals.

They also faced low uptake of nutritious foods as well as limited access to face-to-face extension advisory services, including training.