Food Rights Alliance

Category: News Release

  • ASSP ready for external input and contributions from stakeholders

    The government under MAAIF has made yet another step towards strengthening the agriculture sector. This endeavor has been possible through the Agriculture Sector Strategic Plan (ASSP) that has recently been open to stakeholders to solicit inputs from their diverse fields.

    The ASSP is a 5-year strategy for the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries for the period 2015/16 to 2019/20. It defines the priorities and interventions to be implemented over the 5 year period, in response to the national agricultural development priorities presented by the Ministry in the Agriculture Sector Issues Paper approved by Cabinet and subsequently documented in the National Development Plan II (NDP II).

    For FRA, the journey to influence this platform started through consultations made with a number of CSOs to conceptualize and consolidate our strategies, ideas and efforts to effectively utilize this opportunity to the fullest. To kick start this process, FRA in partnership with the Climate change learning alliance conveners (IITA and EMLI), Uganda National Farmer’s Federation held a consultation to bring on board other CSOs to jointly undertake a review of the ASSP.

    A step towards consolidating our efforts as CSOs was made during this meeting. Pledges to mobilize resources for our next intervention where made, together with AFSA, FRA pledged to draft a letter to the Permanent Secretary, Minister of Agriculture, Animal, Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF). Although this consultative experience has been worthwhile in shedding a light to out next interventions, more needs to be done together so as to develop ways of constructively taking advantage of this opportunity.

    As CSOs working to enhance food security, we need strategically place ourselves in this process towards the direction we want to see in the agricultural sector. More efforts should thus go towards echoing this opportunity among our networks, bring together actors in the agricultural sector and other sectors to share engagements on the ASSP.

    Regina Kayoyo
    FRA Secretariat

  • FRA Holds Consultative Dialogue on Reconstructing Rural Economy

    Following a research study carried out by FRA on the women exclusion gaps that increase women’s vulnerability to poverty, hunger and malnutrition, FRA on 30th September held a national level consultative dialogue:  Taking Stock of Opportunities in Collective Action to Enhance Women’s Resilience in Agriculture, under the theme: Moving Toward Resilient Women in Agriculture.  The meeting brought together over 60 civil society organizations, policy makers and media personnel.

    aThe meeting provided an opportunity for different Civil Society Organisations with gender based programmatic interventions, members of parliament and the media, to share experiences regarding interventions on promoting women’s resilience in agriculture and other sectors.  Participants developed strategies for effective engagement at the district, national, regional and global level to support women’s resilience against shocks of exclusion, poverty and traumatic stressors of hunger and malnutrition. They also explored opportunities of intervention by stakeholders in a bid to take advantage of the changing political and development terrain.

    In his welcome remarks, FRA BOD Secretary, Mr. James Kaija noted that women play a vital role in agriculture that deserves recognition and appreciation.
    “We need to appreciate that they have proved deserving of being entrusted with decision making in agriculture investment and marketing. Empowering them economically impacts not only on their personal lives and that of their families, but on the community and the entire nation.” He said.

    cPresenting the FOWODE Manifesto, Ms. Patricia Munabi, Forum for Women in Democracy Executive Director emphasized that for women to access agri-business opportunities in agriculture, government and CSOs need to provide strategies for them to move from small scale production to large commercial scale through investing in market access and supporting them join the value chain.

    “Government can enhance rural women’s production capacity through providing subsidized farm inputs to women and women headed households.” She said.

    Participants also noted that to transform agriculture, women need to be provided access to agri-business opportunities. Their role as marketeers needs to be fronted starting from household level and cooperatives need to be revamped with clear strategies for women’s participation and benefit.

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    Matilda Nakawungu
    FRA Secretariat