Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Kulika Uganda in 2016 ...

Over the years, Kulika Uganda has gone through a number of changes in an effort to becoming a stronger and more effective organisation that contributes to the national, regional and international strategic goals. The focus remains working with the most vulnerable communities in the fields of education and community development through a combined approach that has brought these two departments together. The Kulika Training Centre at Lutisi is the hub of the operations being the centre for training, demonstrating good agricultural practices and organic farming, production of organic produce and the place where we carry out processing and packaging of Kulika Organic Products.

Susan Amede is one of a network of small holder farmers that live in rural Uganda making a living from farming small pieces of land of 2 - 4 acres sometimes even smaller. Susan was able to increase the yield of her land through undertaking training in integrated sustainable organic farming with Kulika Uganda. Susan and many farmers like her are able to double their farm yields and increase their household income by at least 75% and more in a period of 1- 2 years after training and support from Kulika Uganda. They are however, challenged with marketing their products as access to markets is difficult; markets are often a long distances away, road networks are poor and the local prices are low.

Juma Waiswa dropped out of secondary school due to lack of school fees. He comes from a big family and is the eldest of 16 siblings. His parents expected him to help look after the family from farming the less than half acre of land that they own. Juma attended vocational training with Kulika Uganda sponsorship and recently completed a certificate course in agriculture. He is actively using the skills he acquired to provide affordable services to his community in Kamuli and helping farmers improve their livestock and crop production.

Juma represents the many young people who have been supported by Kulika to gain skills that make them employable or able to begin their own small businesses. Kulika supports farmer networking, farming together in cooperatives and groups and bulking their produce for volume to fetch better prices.

Kulika Uganda has taken the next step forward with small holder farmers and is purchasing the farmers products, processing them and packaging them for sale on the local market and beyond. The Kulika products speak about the network of small holder farmers working hard to better their lives and that of their communities through practicing sustainable organic agriculture.

Partnering with Kulika Uganda means partnering in the life of a small holder farmer whose farming methods address climate resilience and adaptation, environmental conservation, and inclusiveness of the most vulnerable in society, the women and children. It is investing in the life a youth who will use the skills they gain employment by providing services in their community.

Success is when small holder farmers have food security, their children are in school and are healthy and when they are able to improve their livelihoods. It is when youth are able to bring much needed services closer to their communities and are learning skills that make them employable. Success is when we can make available on the local market Kulika Organic Products that are healthy and are affordable.