Sustainable Agriculture
AGRICULTURE is key for Uganda’s economy. It employs 68% of the population and supports millions of farmers. It is critical for sustainable development and poverty reduction. StepUp programme works with communities to provide training and opportunities so that subsistence rural farmers get out of poverty. Learning better farming techniques, managing a farm, timely planting and quality seeds are crucial parts of StepUp.
- OCA promotes sustainable agriculture by encouraging organic farming. Farmers have been trained on sustainable organic farming based on the traditional methods they know.
- OCA purely promotes organic farming; thus, farmers are facilitated to identify pants with protective substances such as Marigold, Red pepper, Chilies, Onions, Leaks, Garlic, Tomatoes leaves Lantana camara and Neem. They are facilitated on how to prepare solution out of each that is later used to spray the crops that are affected by disease or pests.
- OCA initiatives to link farmers to markets for their produce is shaping the destiny of rural farming communities.
Components under sustainable agriculture include; Soil and water conservation, seed and planting materials, kitchen gardening, post-harvest management, formation of production groups, value addition and cooperative management.
Use of Soil and Water Conservation
Use of soil and water conservation methods like digging of contours and cut off drainage, agro-forestry. Most farmers confessed that their soil is no longer fertile and that is why they get very low crop yield. Methods like digging contours to cut the running water and cut-off drainage at the edge of the compound to trap the running water which enhances good vegetable growing.
Formation of Farmers into Marketing Groups
The idea of people in the same economic activity grouping to increase production and profits began in Uganda 1913. For years Uganda had cooperative societies but they collapsed during twenty years of civil war, resulting in abject poverty in northern Uganda. Now, revamping cooperative societies for group marketing of farmer produce is the only option to reduce poverty.
At the village level, smallholder farmers shall collect their produce at a spot before it is transported to the cooperative store for group marketing. The target is for farmers to get good quality produce which should compete on world market.
We believe believe cooperatives will build unity, trust, and organisational skills among them. Formation of farmers into a marketing group is the last stage of StepUp with strong leaders, bulking store equipped with value addition machines.
Quality Seeds Selection And Multiplication
StepUp trains farmers on how to select and multiply quality seeds and planting materials. Seeds and planting materials are provided once and ensure its continuity. This ensures good seed quality for better yields and harvest.
Farmers always apply the techniques each time they prepare for planting their crops.
