The Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) is implementing a six (6) year Uganda Climate-Smart Agricultural Transformation Project (UCSATP) worth US $ 354.7 Million.
The Project is being implemented in 69 districts including 7 selected Refugee Host
districts. Rukungiri is one of the selected districts benefiting on the project
Project Development Objective: To increase productivity, market access and resilience of select value chains in the project area and to respond promptly and effectively to an eligible crisis or emergency
UCSATP has 05 Project Components:
- Strengthening Climate-Smart Agricultural Research, Seed, and Agro-Climatic Information Systems
- Promoting Adoption of Climate Smart Agriculture Technologies and Practices
- Market Development and Linkages for Selected Value Chains
- Contingency Emergency Response
- Project Coordination, Management, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning
UCSATP is focusing on 04 value chains;
They include crop (Coffee), Livestock (Dairy), Fisheries(Aquaculture & fish capture) and Beneficial Insects (Bees & Black solider fly)
Value chains being implemented under UCSATP In Rukungiri DLG are;
- DAIRY is in 05 sub counties of Buyanja, Nyarushanje, Nyakagyeme, Buhunga & Kebisoni T/C with 45 groups
- COFFEE in 10 coffee growing sub counties with 120 groups
- FISHERIES (Aquaculture and capture) in 07 LLG of Bwambara, Kebisoni T/C and Kebisoni Sub County, Nyarushanje & RMC divisions with 20 groups
- BENEFICIAL INSECTS ( BSF & Bees) 16 LLG with 55 groups from Southern division, Nyarushanje, Bikurungu Tc, Buhunga, Nyakagyeme, Ruhinda, Nyakishenyi, Kebisoni, Bwambara, Bugangari & others
UCSATP Implementation status
- Rukungiri district selected and submitted 240 groups from all the 16 LLGs including 04 divisions of Rukungiri Municipal Council
- Mobilization was done jointly with Political leaders and technical staff through radio talks shows, formal and informal gatherings in all sub counties and budget conference.
- Groups were mobilized to open /deposit 20% cofounding on their accounts. 39 groups have already deposited & now waiting for onboarding onto e-voucher system
- Suppliers were evaluated by SMS and Procurement unit, submitted to MAAIF for verification and accreditation.
- Infrastructure projects within project scope were also compiled and submitted to MAAIF pending verification and launching. These included 10 road chocks, 10 community watering points, 06 irrigation sites, 01 animal holding ground, 01 integrated lab and 06 valley tanks.
- MAAIF. MAAIF provided one grievance log book to Rukungiri DLG. DCDO is training LLG committees and providing format for GRC register
- Farmers applications for pasture establishment were received, compiled and submitted. Waiting for subsequent processes before MAM season begins
- Rukungiri district has so far Hosted two districts Kabale and Kisoro benchmarking on Dairy, Aquaculture and Black Solider Fly (BSF) husbandry/mgt
Implementation Challenges & lessons learned
- Inadequate transport means for staff; one motorcycle for three officers in a sub county, one vehicle for five sector heads in the department
- High %ge farmers’ contribution to the project (20% to UCSATP). “Oyine niwe…..”
- Failure to allow farmers under livestock, fish and BI to operate individually, has reduced co funding morale
- Up to bottom planning approach makes implementation challenging as some targeted are under estimated to be executed in time provided
- Delayed onboarding of famers that contributed to project has affected production plans and created doubtful transactions between Local governments and Farmers Groups
- Limiting coffee farmers from procuring their coffee seedlings/cuttings demotivated many group members that should have co-funded.
- Delayed release of funds and failure to re-vote negatively affect implementation of the project and limit meeting the set targets.
- Farmers do not want to keep their money idle on the accounts. Will co-fund when inputs start coming.
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WITH MEDIA, Through ATMs, Enabling Environment, Projects like UCSATP, Strategies such as PDM and Others;
Together We Can Transform Communities 10 Folds & Protect The Gains
Thank you for listening.
