Uganda Christian University (UCU) has been implementing the AIRTEA project entitled, “Enhancing inclusive market access for African Indigenous vegetable seed and value-added products by smallholder farmers in Uganda.
This project started in 2022 and has been funded by the European Union through the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) in partnership with the Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in East and Central Africa (ASARECA) and East African Farmers Federation (EAFF). UCU has been implementing it with partners including Uganda National Farmers Federation (UNFFE), Syova Seeds Ltd (part of East Africa Seeds), and FARMGAIN Africa Ltd, a market information company.
Speaking at the dissemination of the project results at African Village Hotel, Mukono, Prof Elizabeth Balyejusa Kizito, the Director of Research, Partnership, and Innovations at UCU and Principal Investigator of the AIRTEA project, said the project worked with farmers of vegetables- mostly Indigenous vegetables such as Nakati, doodo, Bbuga, pumpkin, and also tomatoes with a thrust of getting farmers linked to market their products to big buyers through contracts for specificities in the vegetables produced such as seed, or grain, or fruit or leafy vegetable.
She went ahead to highlight that during the project they trained farmers regarding sustainable production, business planning, post-harvest management to support their engagement with signed contracts. Farmers were ably matched and linked with big buyers and organised to supply the demanaded produce. UCU also supported the Uganda National Farmers’Federation (UNFFE) to develop and implement a management information system to support efficient operations in the organization. The project areas include Mukono, Buikwe, Jinja, Bugiri, Nakaseke, Luweero, Mityana and Kayunga.
Prof Kizito further noted that another major purpose of the AIRTEA project was to address the supply constraints, “how can small scale farmers reliably supply the required product quantities and quality in time as demanded by the market?” she said.
Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi, the Vice Chancellor of Uganda Christian University (UCU), emphasized the significance of the AIRTEA project, noting that it fosters a vital partnership with farmers. He commended the project for actively involving farmers and thanked its initiators for introducing a project that is transforming lives and communities.
He further commended the project’s coordinators particularly the UCU Directorate of Research, Innovations, and Partnerships for extending UCU’s impact beyond lecture rooms and into the community. “This aligns with UCU’s mission of delivering transformative education,” said Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi.
Dr. Rosemary Bulyaba, Dean of the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences at UCU, notes that UCU focuses on teaching students practical skills, including product processing and value addition. She also highlighted the faculty’s alignment with the AIRTEA project, which integrates seamlessly with their initiatives.
Mr. Perez Kawumi, the Deputy Executive Director UNFFE noted that the AIRTEA project has served as a beacon of hope over the past two and a half years, transforming lives and empowering communities in the target districts it has worked in East and Central Uganda. He acknowledged the successful execution of tasks through collaboration with dedicated partners and underscored the importance of sustaining the lasting impact of the AIRTEA project.
Dr. Joshua Okonya, the Programs Officer from ASARECA which is among the consortium funders of the AIRTEA project expressed gratitude to the leadership of the AIRTEA project, particularly the Principal Investigator, Prof. Elizabeth Balyejusa. He also extended his appreciation to the technical and financial partners for their teamwork and dedication, which enabled the achievement of all the project outputs.
Dr. Okonya commended UCU’s approach of producing hands-on graduates, emphasizing that this equips them to navigate challenges in the field. He assured continued support from ASARECA for the project and wished that the vegetation units established during the AIRTEA project continue to operate.
Mugisha Johnson, the Sales and Marketing Manager at SYOVA Seeds Uganda, highlighted their role in the AIRTEA project as ensuring the production of high-quality seeds, establishing demonstration gardens, and providing guidance and training to farmers in seed and vegetable production.
David Luwandaga from Farm Gain Africa, which was responsible for linking and connecting farmers to markets in the AIRTEA project, highlighted that several buyers were successfully mobilized. He further mentioned that they also held training sessions in different areas. Both SYOVA and Farm Gain expressed their gratitude to UCU for providing them the opportunity to contribute to the project.
Alex Mukotanyi, the Head of Membership at UNFFE, highlighted that one of the major challenges farmers face is limited market access, particularly for those growing African Indigenous Vegetables. He noted that one of UNFFE’s key achievements in the AIRTEA project was successfully mobilizing and connecting farmers to markets, which has greatly strengthened the farmers.
Overall, discussions at the dissemination agreed to the fact that it is one good thing to creatively think out and bring to fruition innovative ways of doing things or innovations. All stakeholders agreed upon the need to scale and work together towards sustainability of these innovations including the AIRTEA project. This conversation will continue as we all strive to contribute to improving the farmers and community livelihood, securing indigenous vegetables and enhancing market access while empowering smallholder farmers in Uganda.
