Approaches for achieving farmer entrepreneurship in Uganda : case studies of PELUM Uganda member organisations

Despite several interventions by various agricultural development practitioners and stakeholders to improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers, farmer entrepreneurship remains a key challenge.

This publication (2011, 28 pages) highlights three approaches that have been effectively employed by some of PELUM Uganda’s member organisations in helping farmers to produce for the market, while maintaining food security. (PPELUM is an acronym for Participatory Ecological Land Use Management).

These approaches include the group approach, market linkages approach and the savings and credit access approach. Also highlighted are ways in which these approaches have been used to empower smallholder farmers to identify and evaluate market opportunities, develop profitable agro-enterprises, and intensify market oriented production.

1. Chapter 1 presents the Group Approach, with case studies from Send a Cow Uganda (SACU) and Agency for Integrated Rural Development (AFIRD)
2. Chapter 2 presents the Market Linkages Approach, with case studies from National Organic Agricultural Movement in Uganda (NOGAMU), and Community Integrated Development Initiatives (CIDI)
3. Chapter 3 presents the Savings and credit Approach, with case studies from Organization for Rural Development (ORUDE) and Agency for Accelerated Regional Development (AFARD).

Each of the above case studies highlights the processes of the approach, what is working well, challenges and lessons, followed by success stories from farmer groups on the use of the given approach. This publication acts as a valuable resource to be used by other development practitioners, farmers’ associations, as well as other agricultural stakeholders in supporting farmer entrepreneurship interventions.