1. Below: Preparing for an evening video session – SACCO Formation
July –December 2011
BOKORA COUNTY
MOROTO DISTRICT - UGANDA
Towards better food and nutrition security & climate change resilience
2. Bokora county in Moroto District (Karamoja sub-region) is one of the
areas with Uganda's lowest agricultural output. Chronic malnutrition is
prevalent here.
Population thrives mainly on cattle & diary products with predominantly
nomadic lifestyle
Area suffered 20 years of insecurity caused by cattle rustling
Crop agriculture is minimal, exposing mainly youth population (67% of
about 18,500 people are between 15-30years) to recurrent food crises
during dry and flood seasons
Culture promotes extensive & near-exclusive reliance on diary products
Fast-tracking transition to a balanced crop-livestock regime needed
urgently for better food and nutrition security & climate change
resilience for people in the sub-region
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C:F Youth 4 Youth Quick Challenge - 2011
3. I deployed solar-powered mini-laptop, projector
phone kit to highlight these issues to Bokora
youths (15-30years) & show them how to
mitigate the associated risk
Kit components:
One mini-laptop with a 6-cell battery -1
One mobile phone with micro-projector - 1
Solar battery charger - 1
Blank banner 5m x 3m - 1
(Mango) tree shade - 1
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4. METHOD
I developed do-it-yourself video content narrated in
Karimajong (the local language)
Every evening (starting 6:30pm local time), I
conducted interactive video sessions 45-90min,
teaching an agricultural skill, from start to finish
Pilot skills covered
Beekeeping (Hive making, beekeeping)
Improved cassava and cowpeas and groundnuts
cultivation, intercropping & post-harvest handling
Group Marketing and SACCO formation & management
Basic literacy (for young adults)
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C:F Youth 4 Youth Quick Challenge - 2011
5. DELIVERY
Documentaries viewed under moonlight in a homestead compounds
for easy access and security (sporadic incidences of cattle rustling still
exist)
Discussions during and after each clip for clarifications and feedback
Subject to availability of materials, appropriateness and viewer
demand, I choose a participant to demonstrate learned skill. E.g. hive
making
Controlled interaction between participants and broadcast
equipment permitted
Batteries charge all day under sunlight while participants attend to
their gardens and/or herds, try out skills learnt, & school children go
to school
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C:F Youth 4 Youth Quick Challenge - 2011
6. 9 apiaries set up. I have selected one, belonging to Mr. Ojacol
Emma as the village model. He is also tipped to become the village
trainer
4 integrated community gardens established (2- cassava +
groundnuts, 1-cassava+peas+groundnuts, 1-cassava only)
4 former participants now commercial beehive builders in
neighboring Pader district township
On world AIDS day, Dec. 1st, Project received nod from Moroto
district chairman for reducing idle time for youths
Older people are getting attending sessions. 1 SACCO formed.
Testimony
Ojacol Emma: “I hope to start harvesting honey early January
2012. Thank you for conceiving this project!”
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C:F Youth 4 Youth Quick Challenge - 2011
7. Evening rains disrupt our (necessarily outdoor) sessions
Mobility – moving equipment between villages sometimes
damages them. We use a bicycle
Little cooperation from local leaders initially. Through
engagement with them, more are starting to support the project
We use a low-cost Chinese made projector-phone. Resolution and
size of projected images sometimes very low.
Safety – our first kit was stolen after just 3 sessions
Growing audience – audio-visual equipment available serves only
up to 20 persons.
SACCO (Savings And Credit Co-operative) formed lacks start-up
financing.
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C:F Youth 4 Youth Quick Challenge - 2011
8. Integrating multimedia tools in interventions for rural communities
generates spontaneous interest from intended participants
Giving simple group assignments fostered cooperation and “offline”
discussion, increasing understanding and implementation of learned
skills
Materials like improved planting materials , nails, seeds distributed free
of charge encouraged immediate implementation and sustained interest
Casual entertainment between and at the end of presentations created
sustained interest.
Communities recognize that adopting a balanced crop-livestock model is
advantageous for their continued food and nutrition security
Communities are already aware of effects of climate change & variability
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C:F Youth 4 Youth Quick Challenge - 2011
9. SCALABILITY SUB-REGION OUTLOOK
Project has huge potential for Karamoja soils and
being implemented at a weather are capable of
larger scale supporting agriculture, if
Inputs required (multimedia
appropriate interventions
kit, planting materials) were
are implemented
not too expensive to acquire
The security situation is
and maintain
Total project budget under
steadily improving and
2million UGX or <800USD resettlement and
Skills transmitted were easily integration are nearly
useable - immediately complete
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