On August 29, 2024, ESAFF Uganda members gathered in Kampala to unveil a transformative new direction for the organization. The launch of the "ESAFF Uganda Vision 2033" marks the culmination of an almost year-long consultative process, initiated in December 2023, involving multiple stakeholders. The ambitious vision aims to drive development in Uganda's agriculture sector by strengthening farmer-producer organizations, particularly those that represent women and youth, promoting sustainable agricultural practices, and enhancing the food system's resilience and equity.
“It is a tremendous privilege to unveil the future direction of ESAFF Uganda. We, as members, must come together to realize this vision.” Hakim Baliraine.
Agriculture remains Uganda's economic backbone, providing employment for over 70% of the population and playing a critical role in the country's GDP. Despite this, the sector faces numerous challenges, including limited access to productive resources, inadequate infrastructure, restricted market access, and the growing impacts of climate change. Small-scale farmers, who dominate Uganda's agricultural landscape, are particularly vulnerable, struggling with issues such as gender disparities, youth unemployment, marginalization in policymaking, and insufficient public investment.
“One of the primary reasons for the failure to build a strong movement is a lack of proper planning and strong collaboration. As ESAFF Uganda, the largest small-scale farmer-led policy-influencing movement, we firmly believe in the power of collaboration.” Masudio Margaret.
“We have designed Vision 2033 to directly address these critical challenges. We have incorporated past experiences, conducted extensive consultations, and ensured alignment with both national and international development frameworks. The Vision 2033 focusses on policy advocacy, capacity building, and technological innovation. Its ultimate goal is to create an enabling environment that empowers small-scale farmers to thrive. Our Vision 2033 is a just and resilient food system led by small-scale farmers." Hakim Baliraine.
Vision 2033 focusses on six thematic areas, each addressing specific issues within Uganda's agricultural sector:
Productive Resources: Ensuring equitable access to land, seeds, water, and other critical resources for small-scale farmers, particularly women and youth.
Climate Justice and Resilience: Promoting agroecological practices that strengthen small-scale farmers' resilience to climate change while advocating for climate justice and sustainable development.
Consumer Rights: Protecting the rights of consumers and small-scale farmers through enhanced food safety, transparency, and fair market practices.
Economic Opportunities: Expanding fair economic opportunities for small-scale farmers through improved market access, financial inclusion, and support for value addition.
Public Agriculture Financing: Advocating for increased public agriculture financing that prioritizes small-scale farmers and fosters accountability in the agriculture sector.
Farmer Collaboration and Empowerment: Strengthening collaboration among small-scale farmers and building their capacity to influence agricultural policies at national and international levels.
“We strongly believe that focusing on these thematic areas will contribute to our vision of a just and resilient food system led by small-scale farmers.” stated the leadership team.
ESAFF Uganda also reaffirms its commitment to the values that guide its mission. These include promoting fairness and justice in agriculture, empowering small-scale farmers to be active participants in the food system, ensuring small-scale farmer involvement in policy discussions, fostering transparency in resource allocation, building partnerships across sectors, encouraging innovation, and preserving cultural heritage in farming practices.
"Vision 2033 is our roadmap to change that, ensuring farmers not only lead the way in building a food system that is fair, sustainable, and resilient to climate shocks, but also receive the attention they deserve." Says Onega Esther.
The Vision 2033 launch highlighted the importance of collaboration between small-scale farmers, government bodies, NGOs, and private sector partners. ESAFF Uganda aims to work closely with various stakeholders to create an enabling environment where small-scale farmers can thrive and actively participate in decision-making processes.
A key highlight of the event was the active involvement of district chapter leaders, who expressed their commitment to ensuring the successful implementation of Vision 2033 in their respective regions. They called for enhanced capacity-building efforts and resources to support small-scale farmers in adopting agroecological practices and accessing markets.
As one member, Akello Ketty noted, “I am proud of what we have accomplished. Moving forward, we will do our all to realize this vision. We will amplify our voices at all levels."
Vision 2033 also places a strong emphasis on the role of women and youth, recognizing them as essential drivers of agricultural development. ESAFF Uganda calls on the government and other stakeholders to support its efforts to transform the sector, ensuring that small-scale farmers adopt sustainable production systems capable of feeding both Uganda and the wider world.
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