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In Uganda, 69% of the population works in agriculture, but smallholder farmers are trapped in poverty cycles: oxen plowing that delays critical planting windows, manual methods yielding limited harvests, and labor-intensive processing destroying harvest value.
Over eight years, the partnership of Circle of Friends in Action (COFIA), Rotary, and Uganda's National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO) has developed a proven, scalable farming model in Eastern Uganda that increases farming incomes by 800%.
The three-year initiative of this grant will transform groundnut (peanut) and millet production practices for smallholder farmers in Tororo District through strategic mechanization. The project will provide agricultural equipment including groundnut shellers, threshers, planters, and processing equipment to support 600 farmers across 12 sub-counties. With a plan to grow to 2,000 farmers in the next 4-5 years, the benefits will also extend to 10,000 more indirect beneficiaries in the farmer households.
Key components include:
• Land preparation technologies (two-wheel tractors, plows, harrows)
• Planting technologies (groundnut seeders, fertilizer applicators)
• Shelling technologies (for groundnuts)
• Post-harvest processing (motorized and manual threshers/shellers, dryers)
• Value addition technologies (millet mills, groundnut butter machines)
• Comprehensive training programs and youth-led mechanization service centers
Primary beneficiaries of this project include:
• 600 groundnut/millet farmers across Tororo District, with plans to grow significantly
• Minimum 60% women participation (135+ women farmers currently)
• Minimum 10% youth participation (60+ field technicians)
• Existing and new farmer groups across twelve sub-counties with plans to grow geographically
• Women-led value addition enterprises
• Youth-led mechanization service businesses
Rotarians contribute to training sessions, expositions and celebrations with the farmers and the national experts.
9 Rotary clubs and 4 districts are contributing to this grant, so far. With Rotary district and RI match we have a total of $101, 000 pledged toward the project.
The project will begin in 2026 and be completed in two years. The first year is equipment purchase and training. The second year is followup training and monitoring progress over 4 farming seasons.
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