Bukoba District Council and Kagera NGO Network

Bukoba District Council and Kagera NGO Network

Reporting on Results

·  PROJECT: MGD ACCELERATION FRAMEWORK (MAF)-2012

·  REPORTING PERIOD: AUGUST-DECEMBER 2012

1.0: INTRODUCTION:

Bukoba District received the UNDP funds for implementing Millennium Development Goals Acceleration Framework (MAF) intervention on 27 September 2012. The funds amounting to Tsh 156,022,000= were received through the bank account belonging to Kagera NGOs Network. This resulted from a mutual agreement between Bukoba District Council and Kagera NGOs Network on one hand and between the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the President’s Office planning Commission on the other. Bukoba District Council and Kagera NGO Network signed an MoU to this effect.

The funds were meant for implementing a number of activities as per action plan developed and agreed upon by implementing partners. The project major focus was to demonstrate how MAF can be implemented at local level by improving access to information by government, non state actors and communities in increasing agricultural productivity and address poverty and hunger. MAF intervention crops as per baseline requirements were Sunflower, Cassava and upland rice. Also the intervention involved fish and poultry farming.

This report is comprised of project outcome throughout a span of four months of its implementation, output demission and results based on gender aspect.

A: Project Outcomes:

1.1: Project targets and outcome indicators on selected intervention crops

Intervention Crops / Baseline Information / Targets / Indicators / Current situation as with project(Latest Data Disaggregated by Gender)
Upland Rice / Production
·  This is a newly introduced crop
·  Only one farmer tried to grow Upland rice at Kyema
Current Technology
·  Hand hoes is the dominant Technology
·  The use of organic fertilizer use is very low
·  No rice processing machine in the area
Training
No training conducted to farmers in this crop / · Train 3 farmers’ facilitators in each village and use their farms as demonstration Farm. / ·  Well trained farmers facilitators
·  Increased use of modern inputs (Seeds and Fertilizers)
·  Increased level of output / ·  A total of 6 farmers’ peer facilitators from Kyema, Mishenye and Musira (two from each village) were trained on upland production and post harvest handling. Out of 6 farmers peer facilitators, at least 3 were female participants.
·  About 5 demonstration plots of a total of 3.15 acres were established in Kyema, Mishenye, Migara and Musira villages
·  About 95 kgs of improved variety of upland rice (NERICA 1) were used; and 100kgs of Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) and 150 kgs of Calcium Ammonium Nitrate (CAN) were used. About 1,008 kilograms of fertilizers have been distributed to farmers including TSP 438 kilograms, UREA 210 kilograms and MOP about 360 kilograms.
Sunflower / Production
·  Newly introduced crop
·  It was proposed as a new quick win crop and included in District value chain priority crops
Technology Used
·  Small manual (hand) machine were once introduced at Kyamulaile
Training
·  No intensive training done in sunflower production / · Train 3 farmers’ facilitators in each village and use their farms as demonstration Fam.
·  To buy 1 sunflower seed oil processing machine / ·  Well trained farmers facilitators
·  Increased use of modern inputs (Seeds and Fertilizes)
·  Increased level of output / ·  Again a total of 6 farmers peer facilitators from Rubale, and Kyamulaile villages (three from each village) were trained on sunflower production and post harvest management. One (1) demonstration plot was established in Kyamulaile village
·  13 kgs of improved variety of Sunflower seeds (RECORD) were distributed to farmers;
·  150kgs of Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) and 50 kgs of Urea were used
·  1 sunflower oil extracting machine has been procured.
Cassava / Production
·  A common crop in Bukoba Rural
·  Almost produced by every household on an average of less than ¼ an acre
Technology Used
·  No cassava grater
Training
·  No intensive training done on cassava production / · Train 3 farmers’ facilitators in each village and use their farms as demonstration Farm.
·  Buy 1 Cassava grater / ·  Demonstration farms
·  Well trained farmers facilitators
·  Increased use of modern inputs (Seeds and Fertilizes)
·  Introduced cassava processing technology / ·  2 demonstration plots (one in each village) of a total of 2 acres were established in Kyamulaile and Musira villages.
·  A total of 12 farmers’ facilitators from Musira, and Kyamulaile villages (six from each village) were trained on cassava production and post harvest handling.
·  29,400 cuttings of improved variety of cassava (Mkombozi - tolerant to Cassava Mossaic Disease; Batobato kali ya mhogo) were distributed and used by 14 farmers located in Kyamulaile and Musira villages.
·  200kgs of Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) and 550 kgs of Muriate of Potash were used
·  Procurement process for buying 1 cassava grater has been procured.

1.2: Targets and Outcome indicators on Livestock intervention.

Intervention Livestock / Baseline Information / Targets / Indicators / Current Situation as with project
Poultry / ·  Currently chicken are kept locally by almost every household
·  Hatching Incubator technology is not in use
·  Market for local chicken is very high (Average Price per chicken is Tshs 8000 and average price per eg is Tsh 200) / ·  Train 15 farmer’s Facilitators
·  Provide them with 20 chicken each (19 chicken and 1 Cock) / ·  Well trained farmer’s facilitators
·  Improved cocks for crossbreeding / ·  No farmer facilitator trained on poultry keeping. Reason: this activity was not planned, overlooked.
·  300 chicken were supplied to 15 farmers (20 chicken each -19 hens and 1 cock) in Migara and Kyamulaile villages. All are local breeds.
Fish Farming / ·  Currently few fishing ponds have been constructed. At Kemondo, two farmer group Msifuni and Mapinduzi each has constructed 2 Ponds each and 1 pond for Mkombozi group.
·  At Mishenye, Amkeni Group have one pond already and the other one is still under construction. / ·  To Rehabilitate 7 Fish ponds
·  4 farmer groups to be involved, each with an average of 5 members at Kemondo and Butelankuzi Wards / ·  Demonstration Fishing ponds available
·  Increased production to other farmer engaging in fish farming.
·  Farmers using advanced fish feeds (eg fish bone flour cake) and ecosystem method of keeping chicken and fish together. / ·  7 fish ponds rehabilitated; 2 in Kanazi, 2 in Bujugo and 3 in Mishenye villages. Rehabilitation included barbed wire fencing, aerial netting for preventing predator attacks i.e birds, supply of fishing nets and 3000 improved fish fingerlings.
·  3 farmer groups of a total of 19 members namely Abesiga-10 (Bujugo village), Msifuni- 5 (Kanazi village) and Amkeni - 3 (Mishenye village) in Bujugo, Kemeondo and Butelankuzi wards were involved in fish farming.
·  The fish farming groups which participated in the project had a total of 7 women out of 19 members.
·  2 demonstration fish ponds were established in Bujugo and Mishenye - Butelankuzi.

2.0. Changes in the District under this outcome area: (with and without/UNDP support project)

2.1. Positive changes with the project

a)  Improved knowledge among fish farmers on proper feeds and feeding as well as water quality management for fish farming. Raised awareness on fish pond management, i.e. clearing surrounding environments.

b)  Increased farmers’ skills on recommended fish pond construction and harvesting techniques – water inlet and outlet system, pond elevation (slope designing) and harvesting basin.

c)  Acquired modern harvesting gears, i.e harvesting basin constructed and fishing nets supplied.

d)  Increased community interest to start up fish farming. These include:

·  About 4 prospective male fish farmers in Mishenye village.

·  A group of 6 members (5 women and 1 man in Bujugo village). This prospective fish farming group has trained by Abesiga group (as a multiplier effect) and it is about completing the construction of a fish pond.

e)  Increased household income accrued from increased number of chicken supplied by the project. Most of supplied chicken are currently laying eggs.

f)  Raised community awareness in upland rice variety with high yield and tolerant to drought

g)  Improved knowledge and skills among cassava farmers on field management especially proper fertilizer application, spacing and weeding.

h)  Increased cassava production reflected by increased number of farmers adopting the production. At least 10 people showed interest on improved cassava variety (MKOMBOZI) in Musira village. The reasons include high yields of the variety, its tolerance to cassava mosaic disease and of recent, and its high market demand in dry form. This is a good indicator for improved household income in future.

i)  Growing interest among farmers with regard to sunflower production. One peasant has started growing sunflower in Kyamulaile village.

3.0. What has the project done to contribute to this outcome?

Awareness raising/brokering:

Radio programmes under this project have led to a surge of local peasants seeking information on various agricultural extension services and support from Maruku Agricultural Research Institute (ARI Maruku). ARI Maruku officials have confirmed the influx of information seekers by physically visiting the facility or calling on phone a few days in the aftermath of MAF Radio Talk shows. However, there is need for designing Listenership Monitoring Tool (LMT) to ascertain whether the surge of people seeking information from ARI Maruku could be a result of information shared through the Radio Live Talk Shows. The programs aired through a local fm radio station and listeners were allowed to call in for clarifications or questions to invited experts from Agricultural Research Institutes.

Although the intervention was basically being implemented in a few wards of Bukoba, callers were received as far as from Karagwe, Muleba and Ngara Districts. Apart from giving clarification to listeners concerns, the hosted extentionists provided their contacts in case there was need for additional assistance. The commonly asked questions revolved around control of crop diseases and availability of high yielding and disease resistant crop varieties. Besides agricultural experts, progressive farmers were also invited to the radio programmes demonstrating as good role models. Their contribution in totality have positively impacted on increased awareness and hence the durability of attained results. A mountain of publicity materials distributed during the project also contributes to this outcome.

B: Output Dimension:

1.0. Durability of Results including Capacity development and institutional Arrangement:

i.  The project intervention in this area was designed with a clear plan to ensure the durability of results through developing skills and systems. All the measures and interventions had a clear exit strategy. For instance all interventions starting from the selection of crops to the project execution were based of the findings provided by the baseline survey. The earmarked intervention crops were identified by respondents of the particular baseline and hence reflect community desire which remains a vital determinant aspect for the project sustainability.

ii.  The project implementers did not impose new systems but strived to maintain the existing structures like selecting operational and best performing farmers groups to champion the practical part of the project. The concrete evidence around this description is fish farming groups in Butelankuzi and Kemondo. The groups were engaged in fish farming even before MAF inception and hence were ideally eligible as a mechanism for sustaining the project instead of introducing new groups which would normally disintegrate upon the project exit phase.

2.0. Changes in capacities of counterparts/areas as a result of the project intervention

1. Added knowledge and skills for ward extension workers on proper poultry management practices, fertilizer utilization in cassava, sunflower and upland rice productions.
2. Increased knowledge in maintaining/sustaining public private partnerships ie collaboration of the district council with the NGO in implementing the project
3. Improved linkages and inter dependencies among stakeholders, for instance link with suppliers of goods and services like SIDO - Shinyanga, Intermech Engineering Ltd – Morogoro.

C. Gender

1.0. Gender results achieved at this point.

1. Training on proper crops management (Upland rice, sunflower and cassava) involved 24 participants of whom 10 were men and 14 women of ages ranging between 20 – 50 years from Musira, Kyamulaile, Migara, Kyema and Mishenye villages. At least one farmer for each crop can demonstrate proper fertilizer applications and use of improved seed variety.
2. Training in proper fish farming involved 25 participants from Mishenye, Bujugo and Kanazi villages of whom 13 were men and 12 women of average ages ranging from 22 to 65 years. All fish ponds are fenced, well netted to protect fish from predators. Farmers now know proper fish planting, feeding and timely harvesting.
3. Raised community motivation to start up upland rice production. At least 10 people, 2 men and 8 women in Mishenye – Butelankuzi showed aroused interest by asking sources of improved upland rice seed variety as they visited Mr Pastory Simeo, the upland rice farmer linked to MAF project.

1.1 Impact of trainings on SACCOS, fish farming, cassava, sunflower and upland rice production

1. 1 fish farmer in Mishenye (Butelankuzi) accesses low interest loans by being a member of JUHUDI SACCOS BWAGULA
2. Well managed farms and ponds which will result into increased productivity and thus improved household food security and income. These include 14 fields of cassava of 7 acres on average in Musira and Kyamulaile villages, 5 of upland rice of 3.15 acres in Kyema, Mishenye, Nyakabanga, Migara and Musira, 1 field of sunflower of ¼ an acre size in Kyamulaile village. With good management, we expect to produce 98 tons of fresh cassava, 6.3 tons of paddy and 0.2 tons of sunflower at harvesting.
3. Raised communities’ awareness on importance of alternative crop farming like sunflower and upland rice productions in Kyamulaile, Musira and Mishenye villages.

D. South-South cooperation:

The project implementing partners conducted a study tour to Uganda during the project. The aim of this tour was to enable the participants to borrow a leaf on best practices attained by their Ugandan counterparts in fighting poverty and hunger through agricultural interventions. Uganda has made significant progress with respect to MAF intervention objectives in crops and livestock keeping which encompass a lot of knowledge shared during the tour.