The Agriculture Cluster Development Project rolls out to thirty-four more districts


In 2017, the Agriculture Cluster Development project of the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries initiated project activities in five pilot districts of Amuru, Ntungamo, Nebbi, Iganga, and Kalungu. The process involved engagement with line ministries, private sector, civil society organizations, farmers, farmer associations, and agro-input dealers. This was followed by engagement with district leadership, including LCV chairpersons, Resident District Commissioners, Chief Administrative Officers, District Production Officers, District Engineers and farmer representatives in the pilot districts. The objective was to sensitize and prepare district officials for project implementation at the district and sub-county levels. Subsequently, five MAAIF/ACDP teams undertook engagement meetings at the district and sub-county levels.

The first roll out to 19 districts took place in the mid-2019. The districts included Masaka, Mpigi, Rakai, Bugiri, Namutumba, Nwoya, Gulu, Kabaale, Bushenyi, Isingiro, Maracha, Arua, Yumbe, Kyotera, Bugweri, Omoro, Bunyangabu, Rukiga, Rubanda and Pakwach.

This was followed closely by the second roll out to 34 districts at the end of 2019, where seven MAAIF/Project teams conducted sensitization meetings with the districts officials of Tororo, Pallisa, Butebo,  Butaleja,  Kapchorwa, Bukwo, Mbale, Soroti, Serere, Kumi, Kabarole, Bunyangabu, Kamwenge, Kitagwenda, Kasese, Kyenjojo, Kyegegwa, Mubende, Kasanda, Kibaale, Kagadi, Apac, Kwania, Kole, Oyam, Lira, Dokolo, Hoima, Kikuube, Masinde and Kiryandongo.

The objective of the sensitization meetings were to

-          To create awareness of the implementation of ACDP in second rollout districts
-          To communicate the requirements for the implementation of the project
-          To draw a road map for implementation of the project activities

Activities for the road map include;
  1.           Mobilization and awareness in the lower local governments
  2.          Farmer group profiling, registration, and enrollment for farmers
  3.         Training of extension officers and farmers on enrollment
  4.           Agro input dealer enrollment and accreditation
  5.         Identification and prioritization of road chokes
  6.          Sensitization on matching grants

Hon. Minister Vincent Sempijja at Open Gate FM, Mbale  district

These sensitization meetings include top MAAIF officials. The MAAIF/ACDP teams were joined by the Minister of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries, Hon. Vincent Bamulangaki Sempijja, who was hosted at the local FM radio stations for talk shows.

It is expected that the rollout to more 34 districts will contribute to the overall project development objective of raising on-farm productivity, production and marketable surplus of maize, beans, cassava, rice and coffee in the 12 geographical clusters.


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