Stakeholder Consultative Workshop for developing a GIS Knowledge base for Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries held at Ridar Hotel, Kampala – Uganda

Introduction
To develop a Geographic Information System (GIS) Knowledgebase for MAAIF, a stakeholder a consultative workshop was organized to assess GIS data availability and needs in the different MAAIF sub-sectors.  Thereafter a field data exercise would be organized to collect geographic location information for the Agriculture Cluster Development Project interventions implemented.

The objective of the consultative workshop was to;
  • -        Assess the availability of GIS data.
  • -        Assess the data needs if the different MAAIF sub-sectors.
  • -        Create a common understanding of GIS principles.
  • -        Assess the capacity to use GIS techniques.
What is Geographical Information Systems (GIS)?
A geographic information system is a framework for gathering, managing and analyzing data. Rooted in the science of geography, GIS integrates many types of data. It analyzes spatial location and organizes layers of information into visualizations using maps and 3Ds scenes. With this unique capability, GIS reveals deeper insights into data, such as patterns, relationships, and situations helping users to make smarter decisions. GIS applications are tools that allow users to create interactive queries, analyze spatial information, edit data in maps, and present the results of all these operations.

The system is designed to capture, store, manipulate, analyze, manage, and present spatial or geographic data. GIS also sometimes refers to geographic information science (GIScience), the science underlying geographic concepts, applications, and systems.

Conceptual mode of a GIS has two basic layers; (1) GIS layer and the (2) the real world.To develop a Geographic Information System (GIS) Knowledgebase for MAAIF, a stakeholder a consultative workshop was organized to assess GIS data availability and needs in the different MAAIF sub-sectors.  Thereafter a field data exercise would be organized to collect geographic location information for the Agriculture Cluster Development Project interventions implemented.

The objective of the consultative workshop was to;
  • -        Assess the availability of GIS data.
  • -        Assess the data needs if the different MAAIF sub-sectors.
  • -        Create a common understanding of GIS principles.
  • -        Assess the capacity to use GIS techniques.
What is Geographical Information Systems (GIS)?
A geographic information system is a framework for gathering, managing and analyzing data. Rooted in the science of geography, GIS integrates many types of data. It analyzes spatial location and organizes layers of information into visualizations using maps and 3Ds scenes. With this unique capability, GIS reveals deeper insights into data, such as patterns, relationships, and situations helping users to make smarter decisions. GIS applications are tools that allow users to create interactive queries, analyze spatial information, edit data in maps, and present the results of all these operations.

The system is designed to capture, store, manipulate, analyze, manage, and present spatial or geographic data. GIS also sometimes refers to geographic information science (GIScience), the science underlying geographic concepts, applications, and systems.
Conceptual mode of a GIS has two basic layers; (1) GIS layer and the (2) the real world.














How is the Agriculture Cluster Development Project integrating GIS?
ACDP is a 6-year project (2017 - 2022) implemented by MAAIF with support from IDA /World Bank. The Development Objective of the project is “To raise on-farm productivity, production, and marketable volumes of selected agricultural commodities in specified geographical clusters”. ACDP targets 5 commodities which include; Maize, Rice, Beans, Cassava and coffee. The core beneficiaries are smallholder farmers, and other value chain actors at the local, district and national level. These include 450,000 farmers drawn from approximately 300 Area-based Commodity Cooperative Enterprises representing about 3,000 Rural Producer Organizations.

ACDP is implemented under 4 components and 12 sub-components;
Component 1: Support for Intensification of On-Farm Production. This component supports the operation and management of an e-Voucher System and provision of subsidize to project beneficiaries for increased access to and use of improved agro-inputs. Capacity building for beneficiaries and the stakeholders of the supply side of agricultural input markets. The component has three sub-components as stipulated below;
·         Sub-component 1.1.    e-Voucher Program.
·         Sub-component 1.2.    Capacity Building for Target Beneficiaries and Farmer Organizations.
·         Sub-component 1.3.    Development of Agricultural Input Markets.

Component 2: Value Addition and Market Access. This component supports activities and investments to improve the capacities of the Farmer Organisations to manage post-harvest activities through the acquisition of equipment and development facilities. In addition, it supports measures to eliminate bottlenecks and trouble spots in rural access roads critical for the movement of farm produce to markets and postharvest handling facilities. The component has three sub-components of:
·         Sub-component 2.1. Capacity Building for Producer Organizations and Value Chain Actors.
·         Sub-component 2.2. ACCE-level Warehousing, Value addition and Marketing.
·         Sub-component 2.3. Farm Access Roads and Choke Points at Community Level.

Component 3: Policy, Regulatory and Institutional Support. This component supports the strengthening of the regulatory function MAAIF. This component also supports preparatory activities (studies) for future investments in low land irrigation schemes, development of capacity for collection and management of agriculture statistics and control and management of Fall Army Worm. The four sub-components are :
·         Sub-component 3.1. Policy and Regulatory Functions.
·         Sub-component 3.2. Agricultural Water Management Investments.
·         Sub-component 3.3. Agricultural Statistics.
·         Subcomponent 3.4. Management of Fall Army Worm.

Component 4: Coordination and Management, and ICT Platform. This component supports the financing of incremental operating costs for the Project Coordination Unit, Cluster Multi-Stakeholder platforms and District Coordination Teams to undertake monitoring and evaluation activities, and impact evaluation studies. The component is also responsible for developing and implementing web-based, geo-tagged ICT platforms for learning, knowledge management, and stakeholders’ feedback. The component has three sub-components :
  • Sub-component 4.1. National, Cluster and District Coordination.
  • Sub-component 4.2. Monitoring and Evaluation and Impact Evaluation.
  • Sub-component 4.3. Web-based, Geo-tagged ICT Platforms.
ACPD is in the process of establishing a GIS based knowledge base for storage and accessing of information about the project and the Ministry.  Mapping of ACDP investments include; Farmer groups, Agro input dealers, Road Chokepoints, Storage Facilities, Processing facilities, irrigation schemes, UBA agents, highly productive areas, Fall Army Worm infestation areas, among others.
Examples of sample maps generated out of such knowledge bases include mapping of Agro-input dealers, dominant soils in Uganda and mapping of other relevant agricultural information.


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