Opok Agroecological Center

Group members of Gum-kayo Youth farmers group preparing a Nursery Garden for planting seedlings. Photo by Byaruhanga Frank-Digital Inspirator.

Theme

Food system

Area

Strategy

To establish an agroecological center as a demonstration site for capacity building and training and, access to climate resilient agroecological technologies, practices and information by communities in northern Uganda to enhance adoption of such sustainable low-carbon, climate resilient practices and technologies to promote climate change adaptation and build resilience of this region.

Place and constituency

30 group members of Opok Village in Amuru district – northern Uganda, ActionAid Uganda, Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPAII) of AADK, AFIRD and PELUM.

See location

Summary

An agroecological center and demonstration site established that provides capacity building and training and, access to information on climate resilient agroecological technologies and practices by communities in northern Uganda. This is aimed at enhancing adoption of such sustainable low-carbon, climate resilient practices and technologies increase adaptive capacity and resilience to climate shocks and hazards of young people in northern Uganda. The centre is already established.

The problem

In October 2022, AAIU and AFIRD trained a total of 39 young people (smallholder farmers of which 19 were female, 20 male and 1 PLWD). This resulted into the establishment of the Opok Agroecological Center in Amuru district, northern Uganda. This centre aims to equip communities mostly affected by climate change with practical skills and knowledge on climate risks, available local adaptation and mitigation measures and building community resilience. Through the trainings, smallholder farmers in northern Uganda applied a combination of the Participatory Assessment of Climate and Disaster Risks tool (PACDR), Climate Resilient Agroecology Model (CRAEM), and integrated watershed management identified important livelihood resources within their community, areas and resources that are at risk to climate, and natural or man-made hazards and implemented agroecological and climate resilient technologies and practices to improve their adaptative capacity.
This initiative is trying to address the unsustainable farming practices which include poor land management practices, climate change, slow technological innovations, and adoption particularly amongst women farmers where there is recognition that to address these there is need to design and implement, just, fair, feminist, and sustainable solutions.

The solution

The land on which the Opok Agroecological center is hosted belongs to one of the young people trained, the group chairman. The members provide the labour (as ‘sweat equity by the community’) to implement the climate resilient practices and maintain the centre. This builds ownership, contributes to sustainability and removes the community perception of the Opok Agroecological center as an ‘ActionAid project’ as observed in previously supported programmes.

The Opok Agroecological center is led by youth and women of Opok Village, Amuru district, Northern Uganda with financial and technical support from ActionAid International Uganda and its partners. This activity targets women farmers mostly. However, men also participated.

Effects and results

An agroecological center established as evidence for advocacy on sustainable climate resilience.

Key-Takeaways

As a key take away, there is need to upscale agroecological practices in the different communities to promote climate resilient practices as an alternative economic model for policy and practice change.

Feasibility

According to the report the budget totaled 24,370,000UGX, the estimated expenditure was 20,000,000UGX and variance is 4,000,000UGX.

Future

Next steps

Introduce experience sharing and learning for the local farmers as means of exposure.
Encourage participation of the farmers in agricultural trade shows both within and outside the district to promote farmers zeal and market their products
Strengthen farmer cooperatives for collective bulking, value addition and marketing
Support Value chain development for selected enterprises.
Upscale agroecology for evidence