For eight years, Mr. Adam Mwima, a dedicated rice farmer from Muhuyu village in Doho parish, Mazimasa sub-county, Butaleja district, struggled to see significant returns on his efforts. Despite his commitment to rice production, challenges such as limited access to quality seed, lack of training, and insufficient market opportunities hindered his success.
Adam’s turning point came when he joined the Youth and Women Quality Centre (YWQC) under the Namunasa Stream Rice Farmers Cooperative. The YWQC provided him with access to a range of training programs, including seed multiplication, organic fertilizer production using BioChar, record-keeping, Good Agronomic Practices (GAP), group management, post-harvest handling, market access, and product bulking.
Inspired by YWQC’s emphasis on Quality-Declared Seed (QDS) production, Adam took part in specialized training facilitated by the cooperative. The training, supported by the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO) and the National Seed Certification Service (NSCS), highlighted the benefits of QDS, such as higher yields, market demand, and enhanced profitability.
Equipped with this knowledge, Adam decided to take a leap of faith. He purchased 7 kilograms of foundation seed from the cooperative and planted it on 0.5 acres of land. His dedication paid off; Adam successfully harvested 1 metric ton of rice QDS. By meticulously keeping records of all his transactions, he was able to sell his QDS through the YWQC, earning an impressive profit of UGX 2,600,000.
The YWQC played a vital role in Adam’s success. Trusted by local farmers for providing high-quality, certified seed with excellent germination rates, the YWQC also connects seed producers to formal buyers such as the Sebei Farmers’ Cooperative in Kapchorwa district. This ensures a reliable market for producers like Adam, creating a sustainable cycle of production and profit.
Specifically, the YWQCs is:
- Creating and aggregating seed demand, improving access to seeds, inputs, and modern technologies
- Facilitating extension support and demonstration, supporting local seed production (QDS2 from QDS1)
- Facilitating business linkages with various stakeholders, building capacity of farmers and local seed multipliers/enterprises, and
- Facilitating collective marketing of agricultural produce, enabling aggregators, off-takers, and processors to access quality produce; collecting and analyzing marketing information; and allowing farmers to access reliable and accurate information about produce quality standards, prices, and markets.
Conclusion
Today, Adam Mwima is not just a rice farmer but a youth champion and a beacon of success in his community. His story exemplifies how access to training, quality inputs, and reliable markets can transform livelihoods. With the support of the YWQC, Adam is poised to continue his journey of growth, inspiring others in his community to embrace improved agricultural practices and seize the opportunities available through quality seed production.