West Nile farmers seek extension of Dutch-funded “Power of Voices” project
“We want to work with you and a small foundation to scale up onion production and introduce a new value chain. UAA believes in long-term collaboration with farmers,” she told attendees.
Zombo: Farmers across the West Nile sub-region are calling for the extension of the Dutch-funded “Power of Voices” (PVP) project, citing its transformative impact on agricultural productivity and household incomes.
The five-year project, which began in 2020 and is scheduled to conclude in December 2025, is funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and implemented by Oxfam in partnership with organizations including Uganda Agribusiness Alliance (UAA), Agency for Community Empowerment (AFCE), SEATINI Uganda, ESSAF Uganda, and CSBAG Uganda.
The Power of Voices – Fair for All initiative has trained thousands of farmers in modern agricultural practices, with a particular focus on vegetable and coffee production in the districts of Nebbi, Zombo, and Arua.
Under UAA’s leadership, the vegetable farming component has connected key players along the agricultural value chain, helping to foster sustainable and inclusive agribusiness practices. Farmers now report significant improvements in crop yields and income.
“The project taught me how to grow vegetables using improved methods,” said Gloria Beriu, a 21-year-old mother and lead farmer from Ajere village, Nyapea sub-county.
“With onion and cabbage seeds from the project, my harvests have increased, and I’ve started building a permanent house. We now need irrigation tools because our crops often dry up during the dry season.”
Another lead farmer, Alphonse Okello from Rada village, testified to the program’s impact.
“I started with one acre, but with proceeds from my harvest, I bought four more acres. UAA trained us in spacing, provided seeds, fertilizers, and wheelbarrows,” he said. “However, market prices are a challenge. Last season, onion prices dropped from UGX 80,000 to 25,000 per basin. We need more marketing support.”
Similarly, Dominic Akenda, also from Ajere, praised the initiative for helping him pay school fees and improve his family’s well-being through vegetable farming.
“This project is a blessing. We’ve learned a lot, but there’s still more to gain. We kindly request funders to continue supporting us.”
Addressing farmers during a meeting at the Ayanyunga Micro-Station in Nyapea sub-county, Mariam Okiror, Head of Program Development at UAA, acknowledged the project’s impact and signaled potential scale-up plans.
“We want to work with you and a small foundation to scale up onion production and introduce a new value chain. UAA believes in long-term collaboration with farmers,” she told attendees.
She emphasized that prudent fund management could unlock additional funding, ensuring sustainability and future expansion of the initiative.
Muddy Oyikuru, project officer at AFCE, reaffirmed their commitment. “Our goal is to improve farmers’ lives through training, tools, and support programs tailored to local needs.”
The project currently supports six small farmer groups totaling 1,388 members, 665 women and 723 men in the sub-counties of Erussi (Nebbi), Warr, Paidha, and Nyapea (Zombo), and Logiri (Arua).
In a country where over 70% of the population depends on agriculture, Power of Voices has strengthened grassroots farmer networks, enhanced productivity, and promoted fairness in agriculture markets.
As the clock ticks toward 2025, West Nile farmers are hopeful that continued collaboration and donor commitment will ensure the project’s long-term sustainability and expansion to more communities in need.
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