Farmers First was a five-year programme (May 2009 to June 2014) jointly implemented by Canadian Physicians for Aid and Relief (CPAR) and CPAR Uganda.

It was designed to improve and diversify on-farm production of rural farming households in four African countries, including Uganda.

At its core was a series of activities designed to expand the choices and opportunities for farmers to engage in competitive value-added agricultural production and marketing at community-level, through prioritization of local innovation, ownership, as well as household food access and supply.

Conservation agriculture practices were promoted using the farmer field school model to build capacity in agronomic skills and practices, as well as a range of tailored knowledge, attitudes and practices on nutrition.

It benefited over 10,000 members of 1,477 farm households in Alebtong and Dokolo Districts in Lango in Northern Uganda.

Through training and provision of inputs,farmers were facilitated to diversify the crops they grow, thus improving their food security, nutrition security and their livelihoods in general.

Farmers testify they now grow leafy vegetables in kitchen gardens, maize, sunflower, and soya beans. They grow crops whose produce they target for the market as well as their food security, such as rice, millet, sorghum, cassava, beans, pigeon peas, and sesame.

Farmers who benefit now register average yields of 933 kilograms per acre for maize and 717 kilograms per acre for sunflower. Attained an increase in their yields of 94% and 335%, respectively. As compared to before when they reported getting only 480 kilograms per acre for maize and 165 kilograms per acre for sunflower.

for more insights on the impact of the Farmers First Program read:

“Cultivating Food Sovereignty”

Dokolo Farmer Earning …

Farmer First was funded by the Canadian Government through Canadian Physicians for Aid and Relief.