“Over 68% of Ugandans Depend on Agriculture for Livelihood”
With over 68% of Ugandans depending on agriculture for livelihood, the mission of targeted initiatives in agriculture is to strengthen capabilities of active poor farmers in Uganda through the promotion of sustainable agriculture and access to markets. Its main objective is to achieve poverty reduction for disadvantaged farming groups in a gender-sensitive and environmentally sustainable way. Agriculture and Development Program is determined to achieve its objectives within a the period of five years as articulated in this strategic plan.
Agriculture and Development Program (ADP) implements its work in Kabarole and Bunyangabu Districts in the targeted sub-counties of: Kasenda, Kiyombya, Buheesi, Rwimi, and Buheesi town councils in the Catholic parishes of Kanyamukale, Bukwali and Kyamatanga.
The goal of ADP is to improve and sustain food security and livelihoods of farmers through sustaining production of quality food; additionally, to ensure nutrition security and monetary incomes, moreover, to make sure they learn and sustain themselves to contribute to their wellbeing. This is done through implementation of different strategies which include, among others:
- Farmers adopt improved agricultural methods
- Farmers reduce production costs considerably through use of efficient technologies
- Adoption and sustainable use of organic methods to improve soil fertility/integrated soil fertility management
- Integration of IKT improved agricultural methods, reduction of production costs, improving soil fertility, diversifying their production and practicing agro-forestry.
- Undertaking bulking, collective storage and joint marketing
- Reduction of post-harvest losses by adopting improved storage and value addition in order to attain higher prices at both regional and national markets
- Established farmers’ saving and credit schemes for borrowing and re-investment in improvement of the value chain.
- Groups advocate for their rights at local government level
Some of the Achievements
- 92% of targeted farmers adopted improved agricultural practices by 2021
- 88% of farmers adopted use of organic fertilizers (compost, farm yard manure, plant tea, liquid manure etc.) and other soil fertility management practices by the year 2021
- 95% of farmers grew more than 3 crops per season for both food and cash
- 95% of old and new farmer groups were using selected quality seed
- 75% of farmers stored food for consumption for the coming seasons
- 60% of targeted farmer groups adopted growing of more than 5 agro-forestry tree species around their farms
- 61% of farmers reduced postharvest losses from 37% to 10% of the total harvested produce
- 97% of the old groups registered and attained legal status
- 96% of new groups registered and attained a legal status
- 30% of old groups were able to raise their lending capital annually by 35%.
- 94% of new groups had started savings and credits by the end of the phase
