The sustainable food security in drylands is Conservation Agriculture, The case of Conservation Agriculture project being piloted in Kaabong By Dodoth Agro-pastoralists Development Organization.

1. DODOTH AGRO-PASTORALIST
DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION
[DADO]
DADO Brief Presentation C.A Project
Sharing.
Presented by;
Loupa Pius

2. Background of DADO
Dodoth Agro-Pastoralist Development Organization (DADO) is a local, non-
Governmental, non-political non-profit making organization founded in July 1996 by
the agro-pastoralist communities in Kaabong district.
DADO in partnership and funding from Mennonites Central Committee (MCC) is
implementing a three year project from 2015 TO 2017. The project targets Vulnerable
groups which include Widows, disarmed youth and disabled persons.
Vision
• DADO envisages prosperous and sustainable agro-pastoral communities with
access to enough food and livelihood options to fulfill their potential in harmony.
Mission
• To improve food and nutritional security; animal health, including natural
resources rights to reduce poverty and conflict through building community
resilience and capabilities, securing better lives and sustainable livelihoods

3. Project goal and objectives
Goal: Increased household food security and income Security
through innovative agriculture and VSLAs/VICOBA for harmonious
living among the Dodoth people.
Objectives
 Increased the use of conservation agriculture for improved
household livelihood and increased income in two sub counties
of Karenga and Kamion in Kaabong district.
 To establish and support School Peace clubs in two sub Counties
of; Karenga and Kamion so as to promote peace and conflict
resolution through dialogue, transformation for a peaceful co-
existence in the two sub counties in Kaabong district
 DADO organizational and institutional capacity strengthened to
be effective and efficient in providing livelihoods interventions in
Kaabong, north Karamoja and its adjacent communities

4. Project Location Beneficiary
Distribution
Sub county Parish Village No. of
Beneficiaries
Household
Beneficiaries
Component
Karenga Loyoro Lorukul 40 280 C.A and VSLA
Geremech 40 280 C.A and VSLA
Lokori 40 280 C.A and VSLA
Kamion Kamion Narukenyi 30 210 C.A and Peace
Total 150 1,050
Project Location: Karenga and Kamion sub counties
Target group: Vulnerable women (widowed and disabled), Disarmed Youth

5. Brief of Karamoja Food security
The Karamoja region can be classified into three livelihood zones linked to the degree of aridity and associated
dependence on livestock:
1. Pastoral – semi arid zone characterized by a prolonged dry season and erratic rainfall. It runs along the
eastern border with Kenya, comprising parts of Kaabong, Moroto and Amudat districts. Livestock production is
the main economic activity supplemented by opportunistic farming;
2. Agro-pastoral – with an average annual rainfall of 500 – 800mm, stretches through the central part of
Karamoja region from the border with South Sudan covering Kotido and parts of Kaabong, Moroto, Napak
Amudat and Nakapiripirit districts. The zone is highly dependent on livestock production and rain-fed crop
production;
3. Agricultural – running along the western side of Karamoja which include Kaabong, Nakapiripirit with an
average annual rainfall of 700 – 1000mm, capable of supporting most tropical food crops.
The region is generally characterized by poor rainfall distribution and reliability manifested through prolonged
dry spells and flash floods. The magnitude, frequency and severity of these hazards have increased over the
past decades seriously eroding the productive assets and traditional coping capacities that support livelihoods
Crop production is affected by the massive environmental degradation as a result of deforestation,
monoculture, poor land and water management practices leading to uncontrollable runoff, erosion, nutrient
depletion and flooding in low lying areas. These underlying factors mirror the general lack of production skills
and overstretched extension service delivery in the region.
Other constraints include use of rudimentary tools, inadequate supply of clean drought tolerant and quick
maturing crop varieties, crop pests and diseases and poor pre and post harvest management practices all of
which further threaten to keep the communities more vulnerable amidst the worsening effects of climate
change.

6. Karamoja livelihood zones

7. Food security programming
Strategies to achieve food security
through C.A

8. Project Strategy
• DADO in partnership with MCC is promoting a lead farmer approach that trains farmers
to adopt good agricultural and business practices that they are then able to share with
their communities, thereby extending the program’s reach beyond just the farmers
receiving direct training.
• Lead farmers, selected by the program based on previous exceptional performance and
proven leadership skills, teach other farmers using their own land as demonstration
plots.
• The lead farmers receive training and technical assistance from program extension
officers on their demonstration plots. Key practices include; Crop rotation, mulching,
intercropping, soil and water conservation, weed control, crop nutrition, and better
postharvest handling techniques. In turn, the lead farmers provide training to at least
five other farmers around their demonstration plots.
• Lack of effective extension services is a major challenge to smallholder agriculture in
Karamoja.
• The existing state-run extension services are poorly resourced and key messages do not
filter down to the rural smallholder farmers who need them most. Without a basic
understanding of good agricultural practices, most smallholder farmers cannot grow
sufficient crops to move past subsistence farming.

9. Project Activities
• Training of DADO staff in Conservation Agriculture:
• Mobilization, sensitization and selection of individual farmers:
• Training of selected farmers in Conservation farming
• Establishment of Garden based learning
• Establishment and strengthening of Peace building structures at School
and Community levels.
• Training of women and youth Groups on VSLA/VICOB Methodology
• Start up support/Grant to boost up VSLAs/VICOBA Groups Enterprises:
• Linking Farmers and VSLA/VICOBA Groups to Governments and other
Development partners Programmes [NUSAF II, National Agricultural
Advisory Services - NAADS and Community Driven Development - CDD]
initiatives
• Conduct quarterly project Review Meetings & Monitoring.

10. Scaling Up Conservation
Agriculture
Supporting Household Food security

11. DADO staff training on
Conservation Agriculture
Methodology
Over 12 DADO staff participated in C.A
training, the training facilitated by ECHO
technical Adviser.
The purpose of training the staff is equip
the staff with C.A Knowledge so as they are
able to articulate and practice and express
the C.A Knowledge.
Staff training focused on C.A principles, Soil
and water Conservation practices, The
situation assessment.
ECHO Technical Adviser - Okumu Robert
Lotoroboch training DADO staff on C.A

12. Training of selected Lead Farmers (SLF)
on C.A methodology
During this sect Lead farmers are mobilized,
and they will be trained on minimum
tillage, Permanent Soil cover, cover
cropping and Crop rotation and crop
association and Agronomic practices
enhancing Conservation Agriculture.
Each Lead Farmers (LF) Trained are also
expected to train 5 more community
farmers in their locality in order to scale up
use and application of Conservation
Agriculture in Karamoja.
Since 2015: DADO has been reaching over
40 Lead Farmers in Kaabong District

13. Establishment and Garden Based Learning
Immediately after capacitating Lead Farmers
(LF), The farmers are now set to establish
their Individual Demonstration Gardens in
their own fields.
The purpose of this progress is to encourage
ownership and management of the IDGs
(Individual Demonstration Gardens), Lead
farmers since they are well and sound in
management after one year of C.A
implementation they are required to preach
the Gospel of C.A to the rest of the
Community members so as the neighbours
to practice Conservation Agriculture.

14. Follow Up of Individual Farmers
Immediately after training Lead farmers
on, the Project Officers will also make
follow up, to oversee the progress of C.A
application by the farmers in their
communities.
The purpose of the follow up Visit is to
ensure that farmers are following clearly
the principles of C.A and also guide them
on where possible especially in
measurements of the C.A Demonstration
Gardens.

15. Pre and post harvest handling by
Lead Farmers
DADO also after training Lead Farmers on C.A
and its enhancers did not stop in following up
farmers. So lead farmers where also trained on
post harvest handling and seed saving.
The purpose of always encouraging post harvest
handling by lead farmers and the Organization
is to help farmers in ensuring food saving, seed
saving and storage management.

16. Cover crops
Sometimes, with poor timing in
regards to planting of the main crop
and the cover runs into a mess with
no focus on calendar , the cover
crops ruins the main crop or it
suppresses the growth of the main
crop.

17. Hands in field of C.A

18. Why cover cropping is important
Cover crops are very important in that it
reduces the time spent by the farmer in
collecting mulch, and also cover crops like
cow peas enhances farmers to harvest
two crops, which also encourages crop
diversity in the fields.

19. When to mulch and cover crop

20. C.A application with Sorghum

21. Cover cropping and spacing

22. Healthy crops healthy family

23. Monitoring C.A activities

24. Food security enhancements
Achieving food security through
VSLA/VICOBA

25. Training of Women and youth groups
on VSLA/VICOBA
DADO believes in working with functioning and
established community groups. So to support
the VSLA/VICOBA groups we have trained group
leaders, and group members on IGA and record
management.

26. Meeting and review with the
VSLA/VICOBA farmers
After training farmers on VSLA/VICOBA the
project officers have always followed up the
groups to further guide them, also witness
implementation of the ideas gained during the
training. The groups are also supported with
grants to aid their capacity to borrow more
money.

27. During Joint staff and BoD monitoring
visit to DADO/MCC supported group

28. Peace dialogues
Peace club interschool debates
Kamion P/S peace club group photo with the
project officer

29. Completed activities since,
• 10 DADO staff and Fourty 40 farmers for two sub counties which include
Karenga and Kamion trained on Conservation Agriculture.
• Fourty (40) demonstration gardens established and other 5 non trained
group members have also learnt and adopted CA methodology from
trained farmers.
• 4 peace/structures clubs at school and community level established and
strengthened through trainings, scholastic materials, schools debates and
peace dialogues.
• 4 VSLA/VICOBA groups trained on VSLA/VICOBA methodologies
• 4 VSLA /VICOBA farmers groups trained and supported with grants to
boost their individual savings and promote IGAs
• 4 groups of VSLA linked/registered at sub county and district level and 2
have benefited to get support grants from government programme of
Community Driven Development (CDD) grant.

30. SUCCESS
• 2 farmer from Lokori and Geremech open up
the commodity shop, and deals with
household goods and cereals.
• 12 farmers have bought livestock in Lokori,
Lorukul and Geremech.
• 4 farmers in Kamion are seed saving for this
coming season
• Lorukul group in Loyoro parish –Karenga buys
10 sheep and now they have over 16 sheep.

31. Challenges
Pictorials

32. Bush burning and deforestation

33. Droughts/ long dry spells

34. Poor roads linking to farmers

35. Pests

36. Challenges
• Less/ low adaptation of farmers on Conservation Agriculture due to
competition with local traditions.
• Different approaches but conventional one promoted by other institutions
• High demand for money, inputs by the farmers yet the budget cannot
provide.
• Drought/unreliable rainfall that has affected demo gardens.
• Lack of modern farm equipment especially Conservation Agriculture
related inputs like Jab planters, ox plough rippers and other weed
controlling equipments and herbicides.
• Limited time and resources for frequent visits/mentoring by field staff.
• Lack of transport facility coupled with Poor transport network attributed
to bad roads and heavy rains especially the roads to Karenga has always
been stressing during field activities.
• High demand for agriculture inputs such as planting materials by farmers.
• Competition with livestock and wildlife for both the sub counties lie on the

37. Lessons Learnt
• Continuous follow up is necessary in working
with Farmers
• Working with the community while selectting
those who success is best in C.A
• Calendar following in understanding the rain
partners in the drylands is necessary.
• Timely planting breaks the cycle of drought
especially in the drylands of Karamoja.

38. THE END
Thank you for listening
Alakara nooi