R4iCSA-II Learning Event Sparks Regenerative Dialogue
From March 19–20, 2025, Kilimo Trust brought together farmers, researchers, youth innovators, and agripreneurs in Mbale, Eastern Uganda for a pivotal learning event under the Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Rice Initiative for Climate-Smart Agriculture (R4iCSA-II) project.
Funded by the IKEA Foundation, the project is active across Uganda and Kenya, promoting regenerative rice farming practices that restore ecosystems and improve livelihoods.
Discussions at the event centered around:
• Research showing that rainfed upland rice varieties offer a viable solution for wetland conservation while delivering higher yields in Uganda and Kenya;
• Utilizing rice straw as livestock feed to enhance both milk quality and yield;
• Showcasing youth-led innovations such as vermicomposting and the use of rice husks and biochar as sustainable energy and soil health solutions;
• Farmers expressing their readiness to transition to sustainable rice farming systems.
During the workshop, Agnes Kirabo of Food Rights Alliance (FRA) raised a critical point: “There is a mismatch between what researchers are working on and the needs of the market. Decisions should focus on reducing the cost of rice production. We must position the rice sub-sector as a vital opportunity to create jobs.”
Prof. Paul Kimurto, Director of the Agroscience Park - Seed Unit at Egerton University, emphasized: “A lot of research done by researchers doesn’t reach the end of the value chain—the consumers of the research findings. This is why we appreciate Kilimo Trust that has come to bridge that gap.”
Dr. Birungi Korutaro, CEO of Kilimo Trust, closed the event with a call to collective action: “Coming together is the beginning, staying together is progress, but working together is success. We have done our best to create an ecosystem to implement this project (R4iCSA-II), and I believe that together we can transform lives.”