The following article originally appeared in the October 31 edition of The New Vision, a Kampala, Uganda-based newspaper. A link to the paper is provided at the bottom of this page.



By Ronald Kalyango

UGADAN farmers participating in the implementation of Sasakawa-Global 2000 programme have made great strides for the last 10 years, ever since the project set foot in the country.

The Sasakawa-Global 2000 agricultural project in Uganda (SG 2000) is a joint partnership between Sasakawa Africa Association (SSA) and the Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF).

Initially the programme was piloted in seven districts of Iganga, Tororo, Luweero, Kabarole, Masaka, Mbarara and Mpigi. In the second year it rolled out to Busia, Nakasongola, Soroti, Lira, Sembabule, Kabale and Wakiso. Later on it spread to Kamuli, Pallisa, Bugiri, Nebbi, Ibanda, Kamwenge and Kyenjojo.

They started with field demonstration and training programmes before they changed the idea to farmer-empowerment through a one-stop center(OSC) approach.

"We have so far set up seven OSCs in the countryside handling specific enterprises," explained Hilary Rugema, the seed and stock multiplication manager.

In Tororo the centre caters for groundnuts, Iganga for cassava and rice, Pallisa for sorghum and apiary, Mukono for maize, Busia groundnuts, Luweero for upland rice and Mpigi for maize.

Since its inception in 1997, SG2000 project has contributed to national level impact that include; increased capacity of national dissemination systems to demonstrate productivity, enhancing technologies for crop production, agro-processing and improved approaches for marketing where thousands of farmers have participated directly in the various skill-building training programmes for increased farm productivity for maize (Nalongo) and upland rice production.


Battson Kayaayo, the programme coordinator says over 2000 poor farmers have benefited from Voucher-assisted training kits in the last four seasons, in 2004 alone 700 hectares of upland rice (NERICA), 25.6 hectares of groundnuts and 12 hectares of pigeon peas, legume seeds were planted. Over 250 improved pig breeds have been put in circulation for upgrading with local breeds in enterprises targeting rural women.

He says farm power increased by use of animal traction to save up tp 30-man days work in maize production. 1,520 farmers have been trained and equipped with 460 multipurpose tool bars adapted for animal traction and rural agro-processing capacity increased by introducing several types of agro-processing machinery for maize-shelling and rice-threshing to farming communities.

Several rural artisans were trained to manufacture and maintain such small-scale equipment. Over 80 agro-processing groups have specialized in primary processing of various products at rural level, (these include fish, cassava, maize and rice products).

At least 940 entrepreneurs were trained in dealership established network of rural intermediaries for input and output marketing and over 225 rural stockists established in 25 districts have developed a tool for scaling up proven innovations in dissemination approaches in collaboration with NAADS.

They are also working with JICA, NARO, Agricultural Programme (APEP), UNDP, Uganda Martyrs University Nkozi and private sector seed companies including FICA, East African Seeds, Victoria Seeds, NASECO and Bolton Uganda.

Despite the above achievements, there have been a number of challenges and obstacles that have constrained the targeted impact of the programme in the long-run like the high transaction costs to elevate the prices of inputs which affect their utilization, eventually undermining technology adoption and yields, organization of farmers to create a critical mass for production, advisory services and the market.

Others are slow process of farmers' capacity building and enterprise development that requires a bigger resource of service providers which is not yet fully-developed. Yet sole dependence of rain-fed agriculture also makes seasonal planning very difficult and at times results into total failures when the rains fail and low investment into agro processing technologies by farmers because of lack of capital.


Kayaayo said SAA plans in the next five years to build synergetic partnerships and networks that will facilitate the programme's new interventions and focusing more on product quality and market linkages, developing pool of resource persons to implement OSC approach nationwide.

They also intend to develop 13 more associations in the remaining catchment areas and conduct beneficiary assessments; monitor and evaluate the work, achievements, challenges and lessons learnt under the OSC initiative.

The expected impact of the proposed plans is increased productivity and commercialization of agricultural enterprises due to strong farmer institutions, organized production and improved market opportunities.