Mbale Small-scale Farmer Sows Resilience, Finds Prosperity Through ESAFF's CAS Approach

In Eastern Uganda, Eastern and Southern Africa Small Scale Farmers Forum (ESAFF) Uganda has been at the forefront of empowering smallholder farmers to embrace agroecology as a pathway out of poverty and climate vulnerability.

Through the establishment of Community Agroecology Schools (CAS) trainings, and advocacy for farmer-friendly policies, ESAFF Uganda has supported thousands of households in the region to transition from conventional, input-dependent farming to resilient, low-cost, and environmentally sustainable practices. The organization's work in the region has also placed strong emphasis on strengthening farmer groups.

In Bumaena Village, Bumaena Parish, Bukiende Sub-county in Mbale District, Eastern Uganda, Moses Wanyama, a 39-year-old farmer, is proof that agroecology is transforming livelihoods and restoring dignity to farming communities.

Through sustainable practices such as mulching, trenching, and intercropping, Wanyama has not only secured his own household's food and income security but has become a source of inspiration for fellow farmers across his community, a testament to the impact of ESAFF Uganda's work in promoting farmer-led agroecology.

Before returning to Mbale to take up farming, Mr. Wanyama worked in a factory in Kampala, a job he valued but one that could not sustain all his needs. Determined to build a better life, he left the city and returned to his native land, where he used his modest savings to open a bar.

The venture, however, proved unsustainable. Customers often drank on credit, and the bar drew disapproval from elders, church leaders, and local authorities, who viewed it as a source of immorality in the community. Reflecting on this turning point, Mr. Wanyama decided to explore a different path, the one that would lead him to Bukiende Community Agroecology School, an initiative of ESAFF Uganda.

Community Agroecology Schools (CAS) are farmer-led learning centres established to promote hands-on, peer-to-peer training in sustainable agricultural practices. Modelled on the principle that farmers learn best from fellow farmers, the CAS approach brings together experienced agroecology practitioners and community members to share knowledge on practices such as composting, mulching, trenching, intercropping, seed saving, and integrated crop-livestock management, etc.

Each CAS serves as a living learning point where members experiment, observe results, and adapt practices to their local context. Beyond building technical skills, the CAS model strengthens social cohesion, empowers women and youth, and cultivates a new generation of agroecology champions who go on to mentor others in their own communities as seen in Mr. Wanyama's journey from a struggling bar owner to a thriving agroecological farmer and mentor.

Bukiende Community Agroecology School was established by ESAFF Uganda as a farmer-to-farmer learning centre, where small-scale farmers are trained and empowered to adopt agroecological practices that build resilient, healthy, and productive food systems.

The CAS embodies ESAFF Uganda's broader vision of community-led knowledge sharing where small-scale farmers learn from one another's experience, innovate together, and pass on sustainable practices to the next generation.

“When I visited Bukiende Community Agroecology School, I generated new ideas and fell in love with what I saw. Crops were healthy, and people were eating well and also getting money from their products after investing very little. I loved everything about the school,” Mr. Wanyama recalled.

Inspired by what he learned at the school, Mr. Wanyama transformed his small piece of land into a thriving agroecological enterprise. He established a poultry farm and a banana plantation, both managed using agroecological principles. Practices such as mulching and trenching improved his soil's ability to retain water, making his farm remarkably resilient during periods of drought.

“I have to attest that even when other farmers in my village were affected by climate change, especially drought, I did not feel the effect. All thanks to the soil and water conservation practices I was doing on my farm,” he said with pride.

Beyond crops, Mr. Wanyama's poultry enterprise has given him a diversified source of income while also supplying manure to improve soil fertility on his farm, a practical demonstration of the integrated, closed-loop systems that agroecology promotes and that ESAFF Uganda continues to champion among small-scale farmers.

In under two years, Mr. Wanyama has earned more from farming than he did during his years working in Kampala, generating income from the sale of farm produce, chicken, and eggs.

“People say there is no money in agriculture, but in a very short period of time, I have earned UGX 5,000,000 (five million shillings) from the sale of my products. This is more money than I made working in a factory. Agriculture pays so well, and I am happy to continue with it for the rest of my life,” Mr. Wanyama said joyfully.

Mr. Wanyama's success has not only changed his own life but is fast becoming a model for others. He now plans to recruit young people from his community to work on his farm, offering them practical exposure to agroecology while expanding his own enterprises.

This reflects the core mission of ESAFF Uganda's Community Agroecology Schools of nurturing local champions who mentor and inspire the next generation of farmers into sustainable, profitable, and dignified farming.

“I want to start my piggery project and also introduce animals that will give me milk and manure. This will ensure that there is food and nutrition security in my home," he shared.

Wanyama's story is a powerful illustration of what is possible when small-scale farmers are equipped with the right knowledge, skills, and community support.

Through approaches such as the Community Agroecology School (CAS) model, ESAFF Uganda continues to build a movement of resilient, self-sufficient small-scale farmers across the country, proving that agroecology is not only a pathway to environmental sustainability but also a viable, dignified, and profitable way of life for Uganda's farming communities and the youth who will inherit the future of agriculture.