Beekeeping – a bright perspective for Uganda’s poor farmers

Almost half of Uganda’s population lives below the poverty line. At the same time, nearly 90% of it activates and earns its income from agriculture. Thus it becomes obvious that farming is not profitable in this country, at least not for the moment. Women and children have an especially difficult life, because of the strong social polarization of the society. The overall development level in the region is far below the western standards, and catching up with them would require intense funding. This rule has some exceptions, however, such as beekeeping.

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Specialists in the industry made their own research and came to the conclusion that beekeeping has the potential to significantly reduce poverty among communities of young farmers best on the current testimonies and with the implementation of a long-term professional beekeeping industry strategic plan. Let’s shortly analyze the arguments for that:
1. Resources
Uganda is lucky to have many species of bees: Apis Melifera scutelatta, melifera adansonii, monticola, and also several types of stingless bees. In contrast with other agricultural areas, where Uganda has poor natural conditions for further development, the apiculture can grow fast and steady thanks to the rich availability of resources. Moreover, there are no diseases spread among the bees.

2. Long tradition and skills existence
Local people have been practicing apiculture for a very long time. They therefore have basic knowledge and understanding of the process and its importance. Instead of teaching this industry from the very beginning, it is only necessary to provide some further training, and implement a professional beekeeping concept which is based on the real standard governing this organic industry.

3. Limited technological requirements
Beekeeping can be implemented without the use of expensive technologies or materials. This provides a great perspective for the poor rural farmer, who cannot afford to invest too much in a business. Simple hives, created from cheap locally abundant materials could be placed close to the farmer’s house, therefore not requiring too much effort or budgeting. Special training could teach the farmers how to improve the quality of bee products without using expensive tools. This would obviously allow a significant increase of the locals’ income.

4. Possibility of activity without owning land
Since young farmers do not typically own land, one of their main problems is the increased costs of agricultural activities due to the land rent. Beekeeping in contrast, does not require this. It can be arranged either close to the house, or even in forests. In other words, this type of activity is much more accessible for young poor farmers than other areas of agriculture.

Of course, there are also many limitations and barriers for the development of apiculture in Uganda. As long as we keep in mind the benefits, however, it is possible to develop a flourishing industry out of this and let young farmers develop themselves and overcome the severe poverty. All they need is a bit of support in the form of extended training, as well as access to information and initial financial support.

THE LIFE OF A POOR RURAL AFRICAN YOUTH FARMER WE ARE STRIVING HARD TO IMPROVE

A Rural Youth Farmer Family Harvest only Two Cups of Beans after a long drought

In East Africa the majority of the population live in remote rural communities with access to a poor infrastructure and live from a small income.
The average small-sized rural youth farmer has only little influence on the national legislation, little knowledge and access to the fast moving international developments.Due to bad crop yields in the last consecutive seasons that result from long droughts, various crop diseases and heavy rainfalls, the communities face severe poverty. In addition to this hardship, the access to clean drinkable water, to medical service and good schools in rural areas remain much behind the developments that drive the metropolitan areas in some East African regions.

The possibilities for self-youth farmer development in the rural communities are directly linked to obtaining fair prices for farmed goods. With only very little support from the local governments, the rural youth farmers have become the losers of the global economy.
Facing a very limited access to proper and affordable justice services and having insufficient knowledge about their fundamentals rights, the youth farming communities can hardly fight against the injustice.

KIRUCODO seeks to better the situation of the rural youth farming communities through sustainable agriculture and other related locally applied skills to foster their development. This however will not be possible, if the people remain without access to clean water, good education, remain ignorant of their fundamental rights, remain restricted from affordable and reachable health services, restricted from access to information tools, and additional practical training opportunities.
As a first step towards empowering the community KIRUCODO introduced the “Rural Communities Criminal Justice Awareness Project” in June 2009. The Project under the “International Bridges to Justice Inc.” aims at familiarizing local people with their fundamental rights and encourages them to seek justice without hesitation.

Since November 2006 KIRUCODO strives to find donations of scholastic materials for the students of the local schools and to hence improve their learning experience and the quality of teaching thus helping rural youth farmer and children to stay in schools without much hindrances.

In 2009 KIRUCODO established a local information resource centre for the community of Kikandwa village. This was made possible with the publications donated by various organizations, including the CTA of The Netherlands, Bees for Development of the UK and others. The centre and its information is open for free to all farmers especially the youth in an around Kikandawa village .

Since 2006 KIRUCODO has been offering free training opportunities for skills development like sustainable beekeeping to the rural youth farmers among others.
Furthermore KIRUCODO has now established a skills development centre in Kikandawa village to train local people especially the youth farmers in sewing, typewriting and carpentry in order to give them additional practical skills to supplement on their farming skills thus creating them more opportunities to improve their incomes.

In conclusion KIRUCODO tries to implement the core values of the Millennium Development Goals in its region of operation and hopes that through further help and partnership the most important targets can be reached soon. With our strong emphasis on the rural youth farming communities and our work as a grassroots organization we, hope to set an example for further successful operations in similar communities in the poor and underdeveloped regions of Earth.

RURAL COMMUNITIES DEVELOPMENT NETWORK (RUCODO-NETWORK) KIRUCODO Approved for UN ECOSOC Special consultative status

Dear Members,
I have a pleasure to forward this great news to you regards the subject. Below are just the first two paragraphs of the official letter from department of Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). For more information refer to “Substantive session of 2011 Geneva, 4-29 July 2011 Item 12 of the provisional agenda* Non-governmental organizations”

http://esango.un.org/paperless/reports/report%202011reg%20sess%20(E).pdf

Dear NGO Representative,
I am pleased to inform you that the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) at its Substantive
Session of July 2011 adopted the recommendation of the Committee on Non-Governmental
Organizations (NGOs) to grant Special consultative status to your organization “Kikandwa Rural
Communities Development Organization”. On behalf of all staff of the Non-Governmental Organizations
Branch, please accept our heartfelt congratulations.
Consultative status for an organization enables it to actively engage with ECOSOC and its
subsidiary bodies, as well as with the United Nations Secretariat, programmes, funds and agencies in a
number of ways.

Lastly, as we move forward, we humbly request for your cooperation, ideas, suggestions, name it to enable us serve our communities better.

Thank you all.

Sincerely Yours,

KIRUCODO MANAGEMENT

Report on Distribution of Dr.Pastor Landon And Church Congregation Donation

Dear Friend,
We have a pleasure to forward you a report on the just concluded distribution of donated scholastic materials to two rural schools in Mukono District here in Uganda.

A grant of US$ 600 was received on 14th April 2011 from Dr. Pastor Landon T. Shultz and the congregation of Bluebonnet Hills Christian Churches (Austin, Texas USA). The majority of the grant was spent on scholastic materials (exercise books, pens, pencils, geometry sets and cups), which were distributed to pupils of Bulijjo C/U Primary School of approximately 502 pupils and Kikandwa C/U Primary School with approximately 385 pupils.

For more information, you can

Download a pdf version of the report from the link below

http://ruralafricafacts.wordpress.com/?attachment_id=12

Download a pdf versiono f the expenditure report from the link below

http://ruralafricafacts.wordpress.com/?attachment_id=14

Further, updates concerning KIRUCODO’s proposed projects (Community Health Clinic and Community Practical Skills Development Center) yet to start on their implementation this year will be forwarded soon.

Lastly, we all our volunteers for such a great assistance they do extend to our Organization and the Communities in General and Not forgetting your Continuous Support, Advise and Prayers.

God bless you so much

Yours,

KIRUCODO Management

RURAL COMMUNITIES CRIMINAL JUSTICE AWARENESS PROJECT FIRST SESSION REPORT

Visit up the link for details http://robkib.wordpress.com/2009/12/04/rural-communities-criminal-justice-awareness-project-first-session-report/

WHAT IS A THREAT TO JUSTICE

It is an going discussion on Justice Makers Blog which has so far registered a number of comments as regards the topic.
May we know your view(s) as well for
For more details on the topic visit up the link http://justicemakers.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=194&Itemid=146&lang=en

Thank you

Hello world!

Having grown up in a rural region of Uganda, Robert Kibaya has an intimate understanding of the problems facing poor rural communities in his country. He has seen that rural communities receive very little attention as compared to urban areas, and that villagers are underrepresented in most national development programs. Rural areas also lack access to information, and the poor are often marginalized due to their low levels of literacy. Members of rural communities lack basic education of the key issues that affect them.

Because of his personal experiences, Robert has a deep passion for helping and empowering people in rural communities. In 2003, he established a NGO in his district called Kikwanda Rural Communities Development Organization (KIRUCODO), with the aim of empowering villagers through skills development and training. Today, the community members themselves provide the majority of support for all the development programs in Kikwanda. They have learned that helping one another and working together as a team is the best approach for social and economic development.

Along with his experience with rural empowerment, Robert has a background in technology and biological sciences. In 2005, Robert moved to northern Uganda to spearhead the implementation of the ICT 4-Schools and Community project under Mission Harvest Ministries Africa. He also volunteered with the Department of Information and Communication of Disabled Women in Development, served as Coordinator for Community Water and Sanitation Policy monitoring, evaluation and advocacy under Uganda Domestic Sanitation Services, and was a general volunteer for To Love Children.

Robert’s commitment to rural empowerment and development has also led him to participate in a number of international training programs, such as a three month Global Educational program in Japan, a training workshop in Information and Communication Infrastructures for Rural areas in Africa under UNIDO Nairobi-Kenya, and a five day training workshop in Accra, Ghana in Information Production with Satellite Receivers organized and sponsored by CTA. Robert also has experience in human rights and criminal justice, stemming from his participation in a seminar on Challenging Impunity of Sexual Violence by A.C.O.R.D, and his work as a penal organizer for the World Conference of Humanitarian Studies.

The Problem

In Uganda’s rural regions, access to justice is almost nonexistent due to the great distance between criminal justice providers and the rural communities. Although many women and children in rural areas suffer hardships like rape, harsh treatment, and property rights abuse, most of these cases are never reported to the police nor presented in court due to lack of awareness about where to report injustices and how to present cases for judicial action. The problem is exacerbated as villagers in rural areas are illiterate and have difficulty understanding complex legal documents and procedures. Moreover, since they are poor, rural community members also face a disadvantage against the rich, who often bribe law enforcement personnel to advance their cases.

The Innovation

Robert is using his $5,000 JusticeMakers Fellowship to establish the Rural Communities Criminal Justice Awareness Project (RCC-JAP) since June 2009. This is done through the creation of two Community Criminal Justice Monitoring Committees at the village level. Committee members are trained in basic criminal justice skills and  conduct workshops and awareness campaigns to inform indigent villagers of who to contact if they experience an injustice, and how they can present their cases through legal channels. Robert will also establish an information resource center in his community, Kikwanda, where villagers can access contact information for the nearest legal aid lawyers, police stations, and courts where they can present their cases and gain legal advice. Villagers in need of help are immediately put in touch with lawyers who can defend their rights before or after arrest. Lawyers also visit the center weekly to assist in solving community members’ legal problems. The center has reduced the barriers of great distances and expenses that villagers normally face while seeking access to justice.

Now that Robert’s fellowship is getting expired, he is looking for partners who can help in supporting his work for the next years for the benefit of his community.