Field trip to the St Jude rural training centre in Masaka - Could ICTs add a value in organic farming business?

In order to generate income for the family in 1987, the couple (John and Josephine Kizza) started farming with two pigs, a dairy cow, vegetable growing and local poultry. Starting from a small family business, in 1997, they formed a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) with other women farmers.

The center has been training rural farmers in intensive sustainable organic farming for 15 years.

The St Jude rural training center acts also as a channel for national and international collaborators for resource and technology transfer. Approximately 11 102 farmers visited the farm in 2005.

Determined to invest in business, Josephine Kizza, whose husband passed away in 2004, has founded Masaka Organic producers Limited.

These activities implemented by Josephine Kizza and her 25 employees contribute to the poverty reduction through the promotion of integrated organic agriculture practices for sustainable livelihood.

Participants were attracted by the food processing unit funded by UNIDO that produces dried fruits and vegetables such as mangoes, pineapples, apple bananas … These products are sold locally in supermarkets and the bulk of it is exported to Denmark, Austria and South Africa. They also acquired export markets for fresh fruits and vegetables.

Over 1000 local farmers, primarily single mothers, widows and youth are organized in self-help groups as a result of St Jude training center intervention. The center buys their products regularly.

About the integration of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in the center activities, Josephine Kizza says: « we have computers, Internet and we use email at the center; but the farmers we are working with don’t have any chance to access to ICTs in their communities. Some of them live in remote areas and couldn’t even use the radio».

However, if there was a possibility for farmers who work at the St Jude center to access information; they would negotiate best prices of their products. Then, they would expand their business and increase their income.

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) could add a value to this kind of project in order to give the farmers opportunity to access to crucial information on national and international market prices.

Source: APC-Africa-Women