Rwanda: Minister of Agriculture Officiates Graduation Ceremony for 356 R-YES First Cohort Graduates
On November 17th, 2022, Dr. Gerardine Mukeshimana, the Minister of Agriculture, officiated the graduation ceremony of 356 youth who completed short course training in agribusiness. Supported through the Rural Youth Employment Support (R-YES) project, these youth were trained in various agribusiness courses at IPRC Kigali, IPRC Gishari, IPRC Musanze, Kavumu TVET School, Kabutare TVET School, College Fondation Sina Gerard (CFSG), and 28 agribusiness industries. The Minister congratulated the graduates and encouraged them to work together to build a strong food systems value chain.
Uganda: State Minister for Northern Uganda Commissions New Storage Facility in Otuke District
On November 25th, 2022, Hon. Grace Freedom Kwiyucwiny, the State Minister for Northern Uganda, commissioned a 100MT storage facility for Olilim Acankwete Farmers Cooperative Society Limited in Otuke District. Through the Development Initiative of Northern Uganda (DINU) Project, Kilimo Trust has constructed three new storage facilities and rehabilitated five others in various districts to improve the storage of farmers' produce.
Uganda: Kilimo Trust Celebrates International Day of Rural Women
Kilimo Trust has been working with rural women for over 17 years to integrate them into global value chains. To celebrate the International Day of Rural Women, Rachel Ajambo, the Kilimo Trust Uganda Team Leader, co-authored a blog with Emma Blackmore of the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) on the role of women in global value chains.
Tanzania: Farmers in Shinyanga Region Quickly Adopt New Sorghum Variety
Farmers in Shinyanga region have adopted new sorghum varieties introduced by the Lake Zone Smart Farms (LSF) project. Previously, local sorghum varieties were not productive and were mainly grown for consumption. The project introduced improved varieties like Tegemeo, Macia, and Narco Mtama 1, along with training on Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs), leading to higher productivity.
Kenya: Reduce - Reuse - Recycle Rice Initiative for Climate Smart Agriculture (R4iCSA) Second Phase
Following the success of the R4iCSA pilot project, IKEA Foundation has funded the second phase, starting in October 2022. The project aims to scale up innovative technologies and management practices for sustainable rice farming systems, focusing on the utilization of rice farming products and by-products.
Kilimo Trust Webinar: Discussions on Regenerative Agriculture
On December 14th, 2022, Kilimo Trust held a webinar on the role of regenerative agriculture for sustainable farming and food systems in East Africa. The webinar featured experts from various fields discussing best practices, climate resilience techniques, and the role of youth and women in promoting regenerative agriculture. Key takeaways included the need for mindset change, periodic evaluation of projects, collaborative management, and the involvement of the private sector.
Upcoming Events
Kilimo Trust will hold a series of webinars to share knowledge from different projects, discuss what has worked, and share lessons learned. The next webinar will be held in March 2023, with the date, topic, and more details to be announced.
Be Seen Be Heard (BSBH) KT Challenge Winners
The Be Seen Be Heard KT challenge encourages Kilimo Trust staff to promote project activities on social media. In this quarter, Obel Samuel and Santo Odongo were the winners for November, and Donata Kiiza was the winner for December. Congratulations to them for their efforts in promoting Kilimo Trust.
Conclusion
Kilimo Trust remains committed to transforming agriculture in East Africa. We thank our partners and stakeholders for their continued support and look forward to achieving even greater milestones together.