CEFROHT Agroecology Learning Centres
Four community hubs where smallholder farmers, particularly women and youth, learn, experiment and share indigenous agroecological knowledge.
Chapter 1 of 4 · 121 words
Four centres, one purpose
The Center for Food and Adequate Living Rights has set up four Community Agroecology Learning Centres in Kiboga, Wakiso, Naggalama and Mukono districts, as part of its larger mission to advance agroecology and the right to adequate food in Uganda.
These centres are the foundation for enlisting local communities in capacity building on agroecology and ecological transformation. They are vibrant community hubs where smallholder farmers, particularly women and youth, learn, experiment, innovate and share indigenous knowledge on agroecological practices that support food sovereignty, health, biodiversity and local economies.
CEFROHT carries out action research with the full participation of smallholder farmers, in order to develop context specific and evidence based farmer training materials, along with production and marketing strategies for agroecology produce.
Chapter 2 of 4 · 96 words
How they are designed
The learning centres are designed through bottom up consultations with farmers, community leaders and local governments. They are established in rural communities and act as practical training grounds for agroecology techniques, and as innovation spaces for farmer to farmer exchange of traditional knowledge and local technologies.
They are incubation centres for new ideas on sustainable farming, livelihoods and eco enterprise, and platforms for legal literacy where farmers are educated about their rights as rights holders.
Smallholder farmers convene periodically to take part in policy discussions, field trips, mentorships, trainings, knowledge sharing forums and community seed fairs.
Chapter 3 of 4 · 109 words
What farmers learn
Through experiential learning and participatory training, farmers gain practical skills in sustainable vegetable and staple crop production, agroforestry, growing herbs and spices for nutrition and health, managing organic soil fertility, integrated pest management, seed selection for seed sovereignty, and biodiversity conservation.
Training in animal husbandry and economic diversification is provided too, through dairy, apiculture and cash crops including coffee, bananas and pastures.
Farmers also learn about their right to land, particularly for women and youth, the impact of trade and seed laws on their farming systems, how to interact with duty bearers and policymakers to assert their rights, and their right to adequate food, water and a clean environment.
Chapter 4 of 4 · 127 words
Where it has got to
Across the learning centres in Kiboga, Mukono and Wakiso, more than 1,000 smallholder farmers have received training so far. They are now implementing agroecological practices on their own farms and homesteads, acting as peer trainers and model farmers in rural communities, encouraging others to embrace sustainable practices, taking part in local policy and food governance discussions, and sharing their experience with development partners, researchers and policymakers.
The long term goals include expanding the learning centres to all districts in Uganda, creating mobile and digital learning resources, and connecting agroecology expertise to platforms for policy advocacy, cooperatives and markets.
Through the learning centres CEFROHT is fostering a movement of ecological farmers, citizen agency and rights holders, who are planting the seeds of justice, resilience and food sovereignty throughout Uganda.
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