Together with Trias East Africa, we are empowering rural innovators through the Enabling Rural Innovation (ERI) training under the In-cent project, which kicked off from May 7 to 9, 2024, in Kabanyoro, Gayaza-Wakiso district.
The training, funded by Trias, aims to equip 20 ToTs (Trainers of Trainers) from 12 districts in West Nile, Central, and Rwenzori regions with the skills to identify market opportunities, develop competitive agriculture enterprises, and enhance household food security and natural resource management.
(Richard Nsamba)
Richard Nsamba, an Agro-enterprise development advisor at Trias East Africa and a facilitator of the Tots, revealed that a team of young people has been strengthened to transform them and build their skills to pass them on to their community. He emphasized the program’s focus on transforming young people into change-makers.
Nsamba says, “The ERI model is an entrepreneurial approach that strengthens farmers and their organisations or groups to embrace farming as a business and also taking into consideration, market opportunities, food security and natural resources.”
“It opens up the mindset of the person embracing the approach and it is called the participatory diagnosis. The main objective is to analyse the current situation of a farmer or agriprenuer and then set a vision where they want to be. Its a mindset changing process that breaks the old practices of carrying out farming as a way of life and doing it as a business,” he adds.
“We decided to use this model because we have seen that it has changed a lot of farmer communities and individuals. We have seen farmers becoming serious entrepreneurs from subsistence farming to semi commercial and wholly commercial farming.” said Richard.
The participatory diagnosis marks the first of the five modules that the ToTs will cover over the year. The program aims to impact 1000 individual farmers, empowering them to drive positive change in their communities. It will be the Tots’ responsibility to impart the information they gained from the training to the community.
Participants share their views
(John Nowembabazi, ToT Mubende District)
According to John Nowembabazi, a 36-year-old, farmer from Mubende District Young Farmers’ Association says that he’s passion to transform his community inspired him to participate in this training.
“The training has been an eye opener to me as a young farmer by enabling me to find some of the undiscovered opportunities, like marketing of farm products, new farming methods, where I can get improved seeds and fertilizers. I can now utilize the resources around me.” John revealed.
(Bear Charity, ToT, Adjumani District)
Bear Charity a 23-year-old young farmer from Adjumani District, revealed that the training has equipped her with skills of utilizing the available resources around her through the use of a vision map where she will use it as a guide in her business.
According to her, a vision map is an imagination or an idea one forms from a clear and specific vision with a detailed road map to achieving a vision. “People in our community have very many resources however they are more interested in collar jobs yet they have resources around them that they can utilize and improve their lives.” she adds.
“I used to only deal in food produce and not to cultivate, with the training I have received, am going to implement these skills in my garden and I will use little resources to get more money. I also used to fear to speak in the community but now I have gained confidence and got rid of panic, I will be able to share these skills to the farmers in my community boldly.” said Charity.
It is anticipated that the program’s emphasis on market driven strategies, sustainable farming practices, and participatory diagnosis will support the nation’s agricultural transformation strategy through our partnership with Trias East Africa.