Rice project boosts incomes, peace in Uganda’s West Nile
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Refugees and host communities in Uganda’s West Nile sub-region are harvesting more rice and earning more money thanks to a project funded by the Government of Japan.
UN Women Uganda and Peace Winds Japan are working together on the initiative, which trains farmers in modern techniques and distributes improved NERICA 4 rice seeds through the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO). The project aims to address links between climate change, limited resources, and conflict within communities that host refugees.
Officials recently monitored demonstration gardens in Yumbe and Madi Okollo districts to assess the project’s progress, noting challenges posed by prolonged drought. The project builds upon earlier work with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and prioritises the participation of women farmers. Farmers like Taban Rashid in Yumbe District report significant increases in yields and earnings after switching from broadcasting seeds to line planting and adopting the new NERICA 4 variety.
Rashid previously harvested eight bags of rice per acre, earning around 800,000 Ugandan shillings. Now, he harvests 25 bags per acre and earns approximately 2.5 million shillings. NARO uses a “Musomesa” field school approach, combining group demonstrations with individual practice on farmers’ own land, and has observed increased cooperation between refugees and host communities in accessing land. The NERICA 4 variety has shown encouraging results even during the recent dry spell, as it exhibits both disease and drought tolerance.
Project leaders hope that improved livelihoods will strengthen peace and resilience within the region.
