Farmer-led Development Program (FDP)
Strategic Objective: Improved sustainable farming practices of crop and animal production as well as market access among smallholder farmers for food security, household income, and environment conservation
Background
Agricultural Employment Trends in Uganda
The Uganda National Housing Survey 2019/20 revealed a drop in overall employment from 60% in 2016/17 to 52% in 2019/20. Conversely, the agricultural sector's workforce increased from 36% to 47%, indicating that many who lost formal jobs turned to farming, resulting in 3.5 million individuals engaged in agriculture by 2019/20.
Agricultural Challenges
Key issues include low dietary diversity, with 34% of households affected, and high malnutrition rates; 53% of children under five are malnourished, with 29% stunted. Environmental degradation also hampers productivity.
AFIRD’s Agricultural Interventions
For over 21 years, AFIRD has supported sustainable farming methods, emphasizing the following:
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Natural resource management
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Enhancing household food production
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Generating income through organic farming
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Building capacity in sustainable practices
Lessons Learned
Key insights include the importance of farmer trainers in knowledge sharing, the effectiveness of farmer-to-farmer learning, and the benefits of follow-up visits. Additionally, indigenous seed varieties have proven competitive with commercial seeds, and integrating livestock with crops boosts farm efficiency.
III. Key Result Areas and Interventions
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Increased Crop and Livestock Diversification and Production
1. Challenges
Farmers face reliance on conventional methods, limited access to quality indigenous seeds, poor soil management, and low climate resilience.
2. Proposed Interventions
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Provide start-up seeds for indigenous vegetables and root crops
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Establish community seed banks
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Promote organic fertilizers and confined space farming
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Facilitate livestock integration
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Conduct participatory action research and set up demonstration sites
Environmental Conservation
1. Challenges
Issues include deforestation, wetland loss, and reliance on firewood for energy.​​
2. Proposed Interventions
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Encourage agro-forestry and biodiversity efforts
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Improve waste management and composting
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Distribute energy-efficient technologies
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Train farmers in water sanitation and hygiene
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Support community tree nurseries
Improved Access to Produce Markets
1. Challenges
Farmers face limited value addition, inadequate storage, and low financial inclusion.
2. Proposed Interventions
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Assist farmer groups with market analysis and value chain development
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Provide training on collective marketing
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Strengthen market actor linkages
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Implement the PESA model for group marketing
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Train on post-harvest handling and value addition
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Enhance access to market information via ICT
Implementation Approach
Farmer-Led Extension and Training
Utilize Trainer of Trainers models for knowledge dissemination, conduct hands-on training, and incorporate ICT in extension services.
Research and Documentation
Document indigenous farming knowledge and promote community-led research on sustainable practices.
Partnership Development
Enhance collaboration among AFIRD, research institutions, and farmer organizations for knowledge sharing.
Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E)
M&E Framework
Conduct baseline assessments and utilize ICT for participatory reporting. Engage farmers in self-evaluation.
Performance Indicators
Monitor the adoption of sustainable practices, growth in farmer groups, reduction in synthetic inputs, and expansion of seed banks.
Conclusion
The FDP is vital for Uganda's agricultural sector, aiming to improve food security, sustainability, and market access by leveraging indigenous knowledge and farmer-led initiatives.