Over
40,200
farmers (24,285 female) reached
158
extension workers (65 female) trained
Over
25,200
farmers (15,154 female) trained in MOA
Rice yield increased by over
65%
compared to 2021
4
types of bio-fortified crops promoted
In Uganda, agriculture is pivotal to the national economy and people’s livelihoods, with the majority of the population engaged in both subsistence and commercial farming. With favorable conditions such as stable temperatures, fertile soils and two rainy seasons, the sector allows for diverse crop harvests. Crops include staples like maize, cassava, bananas and sweet potatoes, alongside significant cash crops like coffee and tea. However, challenges persist, namely inadequate infrastructure, limited technology access and vulnerability to weather-related risks.
To address these issues, the Government of Uganda and partner organizations have instituted initiatives aimed at promoting sustainable agricultural practices, facilitating access to credit, and providing farmers with training and resources. In recent years, there has been a notable emphasis on value addition and agribusiness to enhance the competitiveness of Ugandan agricultural products in both domestic and global markets. Across the country, agriculture remains a key driver of rural development and poverty reduction.
The Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA) in Uganda, formerly known as Sasakawa Global 2000 (SG 2000-Uganda), was established in 1996 through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between SAA and the Government, facilitated by the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF). The founding goal of SG 2000-Uganda was to catalyze transfer-improved agricultural technologies and practices to enhance food security and household incomes for smallholder farmers. Supported since its inception by core funding from The Nippon Foundation, SAA operates within government extension structures, which it has helped to strengthen by establishing Community Based Facilitators (CBFs). CBFs are selected from farming communities and trained to complement the delivery of extension and advisory services to smallholder farmers.
SAA’s impact and relevance have been repeatedly recognized through the Government's Visionaries Award scheme. These awards are a testament to the program's contributions and its alignment with the national agenda, particularly the Government's aspiration to achieve middle-income status by 2040.
In 2010, SAA underwent a significant transformation, realigning its efforts to adhere to a revised approach focusing on agricultural value chains. While enhancing crop productivity remained a priority, the revamped strategy adopted a more comprehensive approach, placing greater emphasis on aspects like post-harvest management, agro-processing and robust market linkages. Recognizing the vital roles of rural youth, and delivering more inclusive advisory services, particularly for women, also become central to the strategy. Additionally, there was a strong emphasis on bolstering farmer organizations, broadening market access, and fostering public-private partnerships.
Rebranded as SAA-Uganda in 2021, the organization embarked on a transformative journey with its Five-Year Strategy 2021-2025. This strategy aims to support more resilient and sustainable food systems in Uganda, building on past achievements while pursuing new ones.
SAA activities aim to enhance extension systems and agricultural value chains by strengthening the capacity of all stakeholders, particularly extension workers and smallholder farmers. Our training approach follows a skills and knowledge cascade model, where SAA conducts Training of Trainers (TOT) for extension workers, who in turn train smallholder farmers. SAA programs are structured around three key components: Regenerative Agriculture (RA), Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture (NSA) and Market-Oriented Agriculture (MOA). All our wide-ranging activities are aligned with these foundational components, ensuring a comprehensive and coordinated approach to fostering sustainable agriculture.
November.12.2024
October.2.2024
| Project Duration | Name of the Project | Donor | Amount | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-2018 | Vegetable Oil Development Project (VODP) Phase II | Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries uganda (MAAIF) | Ugx 663,339,000 ($ 201,000) for the first year. |
Jinja, Iganga, Kamuli |
| 2015-Todate | Improving farmer access to markets through producer organizations | Agribusiness Initiative Trust (aBi) | Ugx 1,130,094,000 ($342,453) |
Buikwe (Central), Jinja, Kamuli, Tororo, Pallisa, Bugiri (East), Lira (North), Kamwenge (West) |
| 2015-2019 | Agricultural extension and value chain development in Northern Uganda-Project Extension "Growth for Uganda" | K+S Phase II | €724,500 | Dokolo, Apac |
| 2014-2017 | Capacity Building of Farmer Based Organizations (FBO) *implemented by Sasakawa Africa Fund for Extension Education (SAFE) |
The Nippon Foundation | $572,771 | Luweero, Lira, Buikwe, Bugiri, Kamwenge, lganga, Kamuli, Pallisa, Tororo |
| 2013-2014 | Agricultural extension and value chain development in Northern Uganda-Project Extension "Growth for Uganda" | K+S Phase II | €933,700 | |
| 2012-2014 | Promoting farming as a family business to improve food security and household incomes (Gender for Growth) & improving farmers access to markets through one stop centre approach (Value Chain) | Agribusiness Initiative Trust (aBi) | $340,000 | Buikwe, Luwero (Central), Jinja, Kamuli, Tororo, Bugiri (East), Lira (North), Kamwenge (West) |
| 2012-2013 | East African sorghum value chain development project | European Cooperative for Rural Development (EUCORD/EABL) | $50,504 | Kyegegwa, Lira, Oyam, Apac, Kole, Mubende |
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Sasakawa Africa Association- Uganda
Plot 15A, Clement Hill Road, Ruth Towers PO Box 6987, Kampala, Uganda
+256-41-4345497 / +256-393-261180
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This book chronicles the history of SAA from its inception to the present.
This is a special edition of the "Voices from the Field" articles.
