Participants in a group discussion during the Entebbe workshop

The 5th Maendeleo Agricultural Technology Fund (MATF) Grant Holders Experience Sharing Workshop with the theme “profit making for small holder farmers” took place at the Laico Lake Victoria Hotel  in Entebbe, Uganda, from 26th to 28th May 2009. The workshop attracted participants from Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda representing NGOs, research institutes, private sector and government departments. The projects reviewed during the workshop were five new Round V projects and four Round IV projects that had received a one year extension grant from MATF.

Welcoming participants to the workshop, Dr. Ralph Roothaert the MATF Fund Manager explained that the objectives of the workshop were to learn from each other about adding value and linking smallholder farmers to profitable markets; and to enhance project implementation strategies accordingly. He further said in order to break the poverty cycle, smallholder farmers have to be encouraged to generate income and not just to depend on their produce for food. “The objective of Round V therefore has been to generate, deepen and sustain the economic impact of proven production and post-harvest technologies by facilitating better access to existing and new profitable markets and/or through profitable value addition”, Said Dr. Ralph.

Helen Altshul (left), FARM-Africa Regional Director, with other participants attentively listens to the Minister's speech

Making his opening remarks, Hon. Bright Rwamirama, the Minister of State for Animal Industry in Uganda, said that agriculture dominates the economies of East Africa and continues to contribute to GDP while it employs over 75% of the national population aged above 10 years. So it continues to have the greatest impact on food security and poverty eradication and remains the principle engine of economic growth in East Africa.

The minister told participants that the sector faces great challenges that cannot be solved by efforts of governments alone but by participation of all stakeholders. He commented the NGOs as being instrumental across all major agricultural development processes, including policy development, extension, access to inputs, rural finance, agricultural markets, development of rural infrastructure and in providing general enabling environment.

Dr. Ralph Roothaert (left), MATF Fund Manager, welcoming Hon. Bright Rwamirama (Centre) in the company of Dr. Joseph Oryokot of NAADS (Right)

In particular, he appreciated the role of Kilimo Trust, MATF, FARM-Africa, Rockefeller Foundation, Gatsby Trust, UN Agencies and other development partners for complementing the efforts of the East African governments in promoting food security and poverty eradication in the region through their agricultural interventions.

The minister challenged all partners to continue embracing and supporting the commercialisation approach, that will move agriculture from subsistence and further progress to industrialisation and prosperity for all.