Newsletter issue 33 - Nogamu

AT THE FOUNDING STAGES
SUSAN NANSIMBI
(1st Employee)
I started working with National
Organic Agricultural Movement of
Uganda (NOGAMU) in December
2002 as an administrator.
Formerly, I was working with Kulika
Uganda headed by Mr. Symphowan
Kiwanuka. I was alone in an empty
office at Kabalagala.
My duties were office management
and administrative issues. The beginning
saw stake holders meeting on numerous
occasions.
Soon furniture was stocked and the
office was partitioned. The second
section was to sell organic products.
About 10 NOGAMU members started
delivering processed products like
juices, wines, dried fruits and honey.
Moses Kiggundu Muwanga now the
NOGAMU, chief executive officer
(CEO) joined as the second employee.
He took the post of coordinator in
January, 2003.
After joining forces with Muwanga,
our focus was on management. We
started the implementation of the
strategic plan and organizing trainings
for members.
The third person to be recruited was
Irene Kugonza now the standards
officer to manage the shop. By 2003,
the shop was growing faster with
more Organic products. Business was
picking. Derrick Tenywa, the local
marketing officer was the fourth person
responsible to source organic produce
and carryout market promotion. He
worked with Kugonza. Then James
Ssentongo joined us as an accountant.
The following year, the training
and international marketing officer
Jane Nalunga and Ruth Nabaggereka
joined us. Nabaggereka was to liaise
with export companies in terms of
identifying markets.
Some of the companies were already
exporting conventional commodities
but organic demand in EU countries
forced them to convert. And they had
to undergo training. One of the first
companies was Amfri Farms Limited/
African Organic.
Jackline Kabahinda was recuited
in 2007 to directly handle all Policy,
Networking and Advocacy related
issues.
Since then, NOGAMU has been
steadily growing. Stakeholders
and people in the diaspora now
appreciate its role locally, regionally
and internationally. The movement
started with three export companies
but they are currently over 40. The
corporate organizations are about 300
representing thousands of smallholder
organic farmers such as Rural
The New NOGAMU permanent home
Community in Development (RUCID)
and Africa 2000 Network.
There is a long list of development
partners and institutions that have and
continue to support NOGAMU in its
cause. DED supported the organic
shop, while others like HIVOS-
Netherlands, EPOPA, SIDA-Sweden,
Pro-invest - Belgium and IFOAM
– Germany supported the movement
in various ways.
As part of reducing costs and
also moving towards sustaining the
organization, an Office Building was
secured in Muyenga on Plot 957
Galukande Close off tank hill road. The
house was secured using a mortgage
facility from DFCU bank. The office
is now fully occupied by all the staff
with space enough to allow for the
interaction and sharing of information
with the different clients who come to
the office.
NOGAMU faces major challenges
with uncompromising policies that
affect farmers like DDT spray. Secondly,
the organic policy has not been passed
since 2005 after the movement did all
it could.
On top of that most activities are
donor supported. No government
funding has been forth coming
towards the OA practising small-holder
farmers.
As a way forward, NOGAMU needs to
become a self-sustaining organisation.
This can be achieved with government
support and other key players.
10 Nogamu at Ten Years