OVERVIEW:
Our partner is seeking to build a mill to house both a grinding machine for maize and a huller to remove the husks from rice. The mill will be managed by a local committee, and the proceeds from the operation of the mill will be used to ensure ongoing maintenance and smooth running of the mill itself, as well as provide capital to stock a food storage facility. Therefore as well as benefiting the local community by providing a mill which is local and run in a fair and transparent manner, the profits will be re-invested into the food storage project – which aims to strengthen local food security in times of drought and shortage.
WHAT WE LIKE ABOUT IT:
The project is well-thought out and addresses the needs of the community in a way which builds their capacity and leads to sustainability. This project is also geographically well targeted, in a very poor area where people are attempting to recover after years of civil war.
THE NEED:
Three-quarters of Uganda’s workforce is engaged in agriculture, with the majority of these working as subsistence farmers on very small plots of land. Across Uganda therefore, agriculture underpins day-to-day life, and much depends – whether nutrition, children’s education or the family’s wellbeing – on the successful cultivation and harvesting of crops.
While efforts to improve agricultural production and maintain soil health are important, the average smallholder farmer could make enormous strides by being able to ‘add-value’ to their crop.
LIFE CHANGE:
