Growing a Community Food System GCFS

Food insecurity is prevalent in Teso region, Eastern communities in Uganda and Gardening in Eastern communities is a challenge due to the increase in pests and diseases that have devastated crop fields have threatened the livelihoods and food security of farmers, who lose from 30 to 40 percent and climate change.  

Establishing Community Greenhouse Farming Demo site is proposed Solution, teach the community members to adopt climate smart farming agronomies using localize materials,  providing opportunities to increase food security, facilitate people to grow their own food and provide a greater connection to the food one eats. The greenhouse will also be Demo site accessible space to be utilized by any individuals who would like to take part, learning to gain skills and knowledge in greenhouse farming.

The innovation works best for local farmers in sub-Saharan Africa and it has been tested globally.

Climate change affects the Food Security, jeopardizing crop and livestock production, fish stocks and fisheries. Satisfying increased demands on agriculture with existing farming practices is likely to lead to more intense competition for natural resources. In Eastern Uganda, a pro-longed drought and floods in Teso sub-region are currently jeopardizing the most important vegetable production region in the country.

The extreme poverty is another challenge at the root of chronic hunger and malnutrition: The current hungry populations in the urban communities of Teso sub-region and many other parts of Uganda are the migrants from rural areas who the majorities are youth, Women and Children forced to move because of lack of livelihood opportunities.

The hungry in rural areas are mostly from households engaged in subsistence farming or they work for others, selling their labour as agricultural workers. They often also lack the expertise, sustainable livelihoods, training and education needed to improve their productivity and incomes or to find alternative employment opportunities. 

The current Global pandemic COVID-19 there is over 1million youth, women and children across the country gambling in streets and trading centers with empty stomachs, they are suffering with difficulties of feeding, a nationwide phenomenal which requires immediate action.

Solution and How it works

ADOPTING GREENHOUSE FARMING IN SOROTI, TESO SUB-REGION  

This is the process of cultivating crops, vegetable and raising citrus plant seedlings in a greenhouse ecosystems environment. Aiming at Empowering marginalized Girls and Young Women through Greenhouse Farming,

by teaching the good vegetable agronomies that provides them opportunities to earn an income and gain entrepreneurial skills by involving them in raising and selling produce and working at a Girls & Young women’ market in a low neighborhood.

Leading to:-

• Increased production
• Minimizing production risks
• Maximizing profits.
• Increased pests, weeds and disease control
• Ability to grow year-round produce, even off-season
• More stability and security
• They will  need a sizeable initial investment

The Technology is Uses

The Greenhouse Technology, Drip irrigation systems (Feed watering system) Fertilizers and Hybrid seeds.

Which work best for most vegetables and citrus plants growing, very efficient and prevent the wetting of leaves and stems.  

The rise in demand for local food has created an opportunity that farmers can meet through protected agriculture.

This is why raising the quality and quantity of season- extension crops is the next step in the revitalization of our local food system

TARGET POPULATION

The target populations are marginalized girls and young women who are lacking livelihood assets as well as physical, natural and financial resources needed to generate sufficient income to ensure family food security.

The situation is worse with the current COVID-19 pandemic, the vast majority of women’s employment – 70% is in the informal economy with few protections against dismissal or for paid sick leave and limited access to social protection and yet the depend on public space and social interactions

 What we are doing to understand their needs

For over 5 years Divine Offspring Mercy Ministries Uganda   has been promoting feeding program in Soroti, where over 500  VOCs, Widows and Elderly is being supported with the Help from Feed The Hungry International.

 At-least 5 community meetings has  been conducted Consulting  with girls and young women ensuring that women's needs have been considered.

 Addressing their Needs by;-

Group members working together to plant, harvest and also learn new methods of farming. This will increased the harvest and make it easier for them to sell their produce at markets both within and outside the settlement, creating good jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities for themselves, hence solving country food crisis.

In Eastern Uganda, a pro-longed drought and floods in Teso sub-region are currently jeopardizing the most important vegetable production region in the country. Not having stable weather to maintain prior production levels, as well as scarcity forcing prices up, both represent an opportunity for local growers. Not forgetting taking stock of the population dynamics and hunger addressing the challenge of eradicating chronic hunger and malnutrition in the current situation and decades to come, it is critically important to understand the full dimension of the aforesaid problems.

First and foremost, Greenhouse farming is a unique practice that Exceeds Weather Limitations, enabling growing crops within sheltered structures covered by transparent or partially transparent materials to provide favorable growing conditions and to protect crops from unfavorable weather and various pests and diseases compare to other farming practices in open gardens.

Secondly, greenhouse farming technology  and agronomies has not been explored in the whole of Teso region, this will be the first of its kind to be established in the community and it will be a Demo site for the community to learn new climate smart farming techniques to solve food insecurity in the region where Gardening in Teso communities is a challenge due to the increase in unpredictable weather with prolong drought, floods, pests and diseases that have devastated crop fields  and have threatened the livelihoods and food security of farmers, who lose from 30 to 40 percent and climate change.

We partner with Teso Private Sector Development Centre to provide capacity building to the local farmers in the region the scale the development greenhouse farming in the region.  

The planned Innovation will create jobs and re-circulates financial capital in the community, eradication of hunger, improve food insecurity and malnutrition.

Greenhouse farming is not just about the benefits and advantage’s of growing plants, but also about changing the lifestyle’s and live a more environmentally friendly life. It’s also about teaching children and family members to garden, as it is a vital skill to learn and brings families closer together. 

THE TECHNOLOGY

The core Technology that powers my solution is an existing one.

These include:

1 Greenhouse Technology,

2 Drip irrigation systems: (Feed watering system is an efficient way to irrigate

crops – the placement of our dripper tubes makes it easy for our
Growers to deliver precise volumes of nutrient water directly to the
root systems of our plants

3 Fertilizers and Hybrid seeds.

Working  best for most vegetables and citrus plants growing, very efficient and prevent the wetting of leaves and stems

The purpose of a greenhouse is to shield crops from excess cold or
heat and unwanted pests. A greenhouse makes it possible to grow certain
types of crops year round, and fruits, tobacco plants, vegetables, and
flowers are what a greenhouse most commonly grows. High-altitude
countries are where greenhouses are most common; this has to do with
concerns related to maintaining a viable food supply.

Our ideal here of promoting Greenhouse Farming in Teso region is to  Building the capacity of Girls & young women to benefit from market-oriented Food Employment & Entrepreneurial Development (FEED) agriculture  which is quick employment at the same time providing the local population with nutritious food security using traditional knowledge and technology to drive social, environmental, and economic impact in their communities.

Advantage #1 – Longer Growing Season

Advantage #2 – Garden in Any Weather 

Advantage #3 – Grow a Wide Variety of Plants

Advantage #4 – Protection from Pests and Predators 

Advantage #5 – Create the Optimum Growing Environment

Advantage #6 – Protect Plants from Bad Weather 

Advantage #7 – Go Green with Your Greenhouse

Advantage #8 – Grow Plants without Dangerous Pesticides

Advantage #9 – Keep Beneficial Insects Inside

Advantage #10 – Easily Customize the Greenhouse to Your Needs

Advantage #11 – Enjoying Raising Your Own Food

Advantage #12 – Save Energy Greenhouse gardening can even offer the advantage of saving energy.

Advantage #13 – Relaxation and Stress Relief

THEORY OF CHANGE IS BEING BUILD ON GREENHOUSE FARMING TECHNOLOGY

As the demand of fresh as well as processed vegetables and Fruits at Global level is increasing in order to strengthen the export potential and economy of a country. But the cultivated area is decreasing due to construction of new roads, buildings particularly through urbanization and industrialization.

This calls for increasing productivity at a higher rate. The increased demand cannot be met through the traditional method of agricultural production. It necessitates improved and new alternative technologies to enhance production under normal as well as adverse climatic conditions and to bridge the gap between demand as well as existing production of vegetables and fresh fruits.

Greenhouse cultivation helps to create favorable micro climates where production of vegetables and fruits is made possible throughout the year or part of the year as per the requirement. Greenhouse not only creates suitable environment for the plants but also encourages proper growth and fruiting as compared to open field cultivation.

Using a greenhouse farming is not just about the benefits and advantage’s of growing plants, but also about changing the lifestyle’s and live a more environmentally friendly life.

I have seen women struggling to make ends meet while struggling to support their children and families sometimes in the absence of a father.

Theory of change follows that girls are able to generate regular and stable incomes through employment or by starting new businesses. To accomplish this, girls need to develop their confidence, productive skills, basic skills, and to be provided networks and role models.

I have realized that women have always been suppliers of labour and consumers of goods and services without creating or owning any assets. Thia is why I came up with Greenhouse farming scheme which will empower girls and young women through giving them skills and in that way affording the opportunity to them to be able to own their own businesses thereby amassing assets thus building a future for themselves, for their children and improving their communities. The model is based on the indigenous knowledge of working together

The current number of people I am serving  are over 2000 people using citrus seedlings   from improve, mangoes and oranges.

And in over five years this innovation will serve over 10000 people, since Greenhouse  will offer me a longer growing season, will be supplying both citrus seedlings and green vegetable and tomatoes produce in greenhouse.

  My long-term objectives of this proposal will be to introduce / demonstrate / make available safe and healthy production of vegetables at household level using greenhouse farming. The short-term objectives of the proposal will be achieved by producing fresh and cheap vegetables through involvement of Girls and young women members of the communities of urban areas of Soroti and building the  capacity to adopt greenhouse farming.

Specific Objectives:

The specific objectives are as under:

• To create awareness about kitchen gardening.
• To improve skills for growing fresh and safe vegetables without use of any pesticide.
• To provide complete set of production technology including quality seedlings and potted plants of summer and winter vegetables.
• To set up Demo farm to provide advisory services to the upcoming agribusiness entrepreneurs in Teso region.

Our goals within the next five years;

The specific aims of the greenhouses project was to address the issues of rural youth unemployment and migration, income poverty and lack of access to sustainable energy; and to lower emissions of greenhouse gases. These issues were to be tackled broadly by building sustainable livelihoods, and specifically by increasing income generation for target groups, through the following activities:

• Growing crops in established greenhouses and practicing water-efficient irrigation through solar water-pumping systems

• Supporting agricultural training for women’s groups

• Facilitating training for groups on marketing and business management

• Providing training on safety and equipment maintenance with the community, and building awareness of sustainable environmental management.

Through these activities, the project aimed to achieve the following outcomes:

• Increased rural incomes for 64 women and youth groups

• Reduced environmental degradation and enhanced environmental protection

• Improved partner and community capacity to manage and maintain energy projects through technology transfer in target areas.

Financial Challenge to procure Greenhouse construction materials, seeds and Irrigation equipment's since  Teso Sub-region is semi-arid areas beset by droughts and floods. The conditions can be favorable for production one year and cause crop failure another. Traditional agriculture is well adapted to these conditions but finds it hard to cope with the population’s evolving demands. Temperatures are on the increase across the region, causing a higher demand for water and heat-stress.  and this has been my major challenge jeopardizing my production due to lack of Irrigation equipment and good greenhouse structure.

There is growing evidence that rainfall intensity could increase in the future, potentially causing

barriers currently exist for you to accomplish my goals in the next year

One of the solutions is  to raise $10,000 grant from

Solve, as well as access to significant additional prize funding, will solve the challenges  and it will boost my production in the next five years and beyond.

I believe that, Our quality of life, that of future generations and above all, the poorest and most vulnerable on this planet will depend upon our willingness to act and that, Our quality of life, that of future generations and above all, the poorest.

Divine Offspring Mercy Ministries Uganda (DOMMU).

DOMMU provides a platform for Humanity, Assist low-income people in our community to become self-sufficient, to alleviate the effects of poverty, by assisting them to participate in the decisions that affect their lives by giving them the care.

I am the Founder of the above organization. and for over five years, we have supported over 500 Widows,OVCs and Elderly with Feeding with support from Feed the Hungry. this is were the idea of establishing the greenhouse gave birth from to feed the hungry in our community and beyond with nutritious dietary farm products.  

Currently i have casual workers due to financial challenges to expand the solution and they are 5 in number. I am looking at employing full time worker when i get finance to support the construction and  maintenance of the farm.

I work with well trained team from Agricultural college of Busitema  University to provide technical skills to enable the solution to work well

The team composed of experts from Crop production, Veterinary for pest control and water facility for irrigation technology  in the farm.

We also partner with Teso Private Sector Development Centre Soroti, their role is providing capacity building to the community members by training them on good agronomies skills. Business management skills and Agribusiness as family business.

Teso private sector also provides a platform for joint marketing linkages within and outside Uganda especially in the neighboring countries like South Sudan(JUBA) Kenya and Randa

Greenhouse Farming  Business Model

The products and services includes:

Vegetables, Fruits & Citrus Seedlings Raising, trainings in climate smart farming.

Access by their families to an adequate, affordable, nutritious diet which are less chemical, It creates sustainable livelihoods opportunities for them

The populations prefer to consume low-carbon nutritious food, at the same time Creating sustainable livelihoods & Inclusive Entrepreneurship development skills for marginalized girls and young women,  creating good jobs and entrepreneurial by involving them in raising and selling produce and working at  market in a low neighborhood.

I am applying to solve

Sustainable Foods Production by;-

Empowering Girls and Young Women through Greenhouse Farming in Soroti, hence enabling populations consume low-carbon nutritious food, Creating sustainable livelihoods & Inclusive Entrepreneurship development skills for marginalized girls and young women,  creating good jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities for themselves.

While women farmers are essentially feeding the continent, they have remained largely in the background, calling little attention to them and receiving little help. They lack new farming technologies and agronomies practices that lead to sustainable food productivity.

Impact

• Improve household food security
• Increased household incomes by 35%
• Equitable use of resources among household members 
•  Casual   and formal jobs created.
• Improved women Participation along the Food and Agribusiness supply Chain by at least 60%
• Reduced Domestic Violence by at least 50% by end of project.

• Allows the group to tackle complex issues through the insights of the multiple components of a food system
• Improves coordination of services through increased communication of the coalition members
• Spreads the work by adding more players to an issue or project
• Improves project viability by committing more groups to the issue or project
• Provides perspective through the diversity of the members’ experiences

OUR GOALS is:- Building Partnerships for Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security, hence

1. Improving food security and nutrition
2. Reduce rural poverty.               
3. Increase local livelihoods resilience to eliminate threats and crises
4. Enable more inclusive and efficient agricultural and food systems at local, national and international levels.

The flowing are the proposed partners

1- Teso Private Sector Development Centre: to provide capacity building to the public. 

Teso Private Sector Development Center (TESOPS) is one of the 11 Public Private Sector Development Centres established in Uganda with the support of UNDP under the Country Cooperation Frame work (CCF1 1997-2000) to spearhead Private Sector Development for Sustainable Human Development in Uganda. It has vast experience in providing capacity build in farming as a business

2-NARO:  National Agricultural Research Organization; to provide good seed and fertilizers as well as  advisory services

While women farmers are essentially feeding the continent, they have remained largely in the background, calling little attention to them and receiving little help. They lack new farming technologies and agronomies practices that lead to sustainable food productivity  and as many countries globally affected by COVID19, the first round of layoffs has been particularly acute in the services sector, including retail, hospitality and tourism, where women are over represented.

The situation is worse in Uganda’s economies where the vast majority of women’s employment – 70% is in the informal economy with few protections against dismissal or for paid sick leave and limited access to social protection. To earn a living these workers often depend on public space and social interactions, which are now being restricted to contain the spread of the COVID-19pandemic.

Our goal is to speed up Food Employment & Entrepreneurial Development (FEED), by teaching girls and young women good vegetable agronomies that provides them opportunities to earn an income and gain entrepreneurial skills by involving them in raising and selling produce and working at ’ markets in a low neighborhood.