SASAKAWA African aids Ugandan farmers

SASAKAWA Africa Association is aiding farmers through training them in agribusiness and offering advisory services.

Dr. Roseline Nyamutale, the country director said that they are helping rural farmers in Uganda through the establishment of community seed multiplications and establishing operations of 13 one-stop centers.

"During COVID-19 lockdown, farmers in rural areas suffered a lot because they would not access markets due to transport hardships. Sasakawa Association established research to find solutions to some of the challenges facing farmers," she said.

Dr. Nyamutale was speaking during the handover of agriculture products to some of the beneficiary farmers from 65 districts. Some of the products that were handed over to farmers included seeds, ox- plough, polythene bags, small generators, and seedlings.

She said that the Sasakawa Association initiated a one-stop centre association where community farmers' organisations are linked to services through multipurpose infrastructure that demands reduction of transaction costs.

"We Initiated Development of rural agricultural inputs stockists networks which gave birth to Uganda National Agro-Dealers Association (UNADA) and contributed to the evolution of the Plan for Modernization of Agriculture (PMA) and subsequent formation of the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS)," she said.

Dr. Henry Opolot, the commissioner of agricultural extension and skills management, advised farmers to ensure that they protect their produce, especially during the pro-harvesting season. He said that they should take on advisory services that are given to them by the technical agriculture officials at the district and sub-county levels.

The Sasakawa Global 2000 Uganda (SG2000 Uganda) country program started in 1996, with the signing of an MOU between SAA and the Government of Uganda, through the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF). The main aim was to transfer improved agricultural technologies to enhance food security and household incomes of smallholder farmers.

With funding from the Nippon Foundation of Japan since inception, SG2000 Uganda has operated in 60 districts and reached out to over 700,000 smallholder households and 400 Sub counties, trained over 4,180 extension agents in collaboration with various partners and stakeholders that support agriculture at various levels of the value chain.