Income Enhancement for Subsistence Farmers

The crippling poverty cycle in Uganda has resulted in many Ugandan households having no capacity to generate the income required to meet their families’ most basic needs.

International Needs Uganda have been implementing an income enhancement for subsistence farmers. The primary objective of this extension project is to enhance the household incomes of 2,750 subsistence and small-holder farming families in targeted areas by at least 40% and to secure and improve the food supply of these families by 80%. This follow-on project builds on a successful pilot project that ended in June 2015 and aims to raise the socio-economic position of 12,000 people through improved agricultural practices and household development strategies. Run by International Needs Uganda, this programme has been funded by the Australian Government and International Needs Australia.

There are still many vulnerable subsistence farming households in the Central Region of Uganda with 60% identified as having a critically threatening level of food scarcity. Sadly, 67% of Ugandans continue to live in some degree of poverty.

This project will partner with 2,750 subsistence farmers organised into 70 self-initiated farmer groups, 6 farmer associations and 6 child protection associations to address income and food security issues. All participating farmers will be equipped the appropriate knowledge and skills in improved farming methods and agricultural technologies and will be provided with various improved farming supplies on a credit basis to boost their enterprises.

These benefits will help farmers to increase their household incomes and secure food supplies which will improve the household’s standard of living in the long term. The farmer groups will be assisted to develop into self-enabled community-based organisations such as farmers’ associations and child care and protection associations. Such interventions will help farmers to collectively address the roadblocks that have hindered the progress of subsistence farming households for centuries.

This extension project builds on the findings and successes of the original Household Income Enhancement project as it represents good value for money, having already been proven to be a cost-effective way of increasing household income and securing the food supply of participating families. Parents have shown to be able to afford their children’s education and medical costs, provide good nutrition, meet all basics needs and improve living conditions.

All participating farmers will be educated on other vital issues which influence household development such as family planning, HIV/AIDS, environmental issues, the concept of financial savings, gender equity and child rights and protection, thereby equipping farmers to overcome the multiple hurdles of poverty.

This project will actively engage both men and women to promote, encourage and reward the meaningful participation of women in project activities, including as elected representatives of decision-making bodies. The economic empowerment of women improves their status within the household and the community more broadly, leading to greater control of resources. People living with a disability will also be included in project activities.