Technologies for intensification in SW Uganda ... - Foodnet - cgiar

Once common goals and approaches are identified, training in participatory methods and
empowering local structures to take responsibilities for the activities are key areas that should
be addressed to scale up the impact of the above institutions.
b) Decentralization
Decentralized government structures are a powerful tool to provide more development options
to farmers. Many local government organs have identified the main constraints to agricultural
intensification in their areas and chosen priority interventions for their areas. Given technical
and methodological support the local governments will be in a position to implement many of
their development programs. They have clear comparative advantages in: prioritizing
development needs; motivating farmers to join development programs; providing information
and to address a range of social factors such as conflict resolution or enacting appropriate byelaws
that support development initiatives.
Funds are channeled to decentralized government to support some of the priority intervention
areas. This ensures that the beneficiaries participate and own the activities aimed at improving
their livelihoods. Funds to assist these are the Poverty Alleviation Funds (PAF), PMA funds,
NAADS, non-conditional and conditional funds.
c) Farmers associations
The survey team came across a wide range of formal and informal farmer groups and
associations that provide appropriate structures for development initiatives. They provide
nucleus to:
• Demand for advisory services;
• Provide seed multiplication opportunities;
• Help organize joint marketing;
• Generating experiments and adaptations of technologies
• Facilitate farmer exchange visits
• Organize on-farm experiments and demonstrations
• Stocking inputs
• Agro-processing potential
Highlands provide a range of niches for the production of specialized agricultural
commodities. On the other hand, the main markets for these products are usually the urban
centers. Processing can often
ο Increase the shelf-life of the product;
ο Add value;
ο Reduce volume and weight of the products that need to be transported, and
ο Create incentives for increased production
The potential is high especially in fruits, food crops, vegetables and livestock products.
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