Improving Integrated Production and Pest Management to control Banana Bacterial Wilt - TCP/UGA/3102 (T)

BACK-TO-OFFICE REPORT

1 December 2008

Reporting Officer: Wafa El-Khoury, Plant Pathology Officer

Country visited:

Purpose: Final mission for the closing the activities of the project TCP/UGA/3102 (T) project “Improving Integrated Production and Pest Management to control Banana Bacterial Wilt”.

Dates: 6-13 August 2008

This report has been authorized for circulation by Mr Peter Kenmore, Chief AGPP

Distribution:

Pandey, S., AGPD Kenmore, P., AGPP Pantenius, Ch, AGPP Misika, P., FAO-R Uganda Owach, Ch, FAO Uganda Clarendon, H., RAF Brandstrup, N., TCP Kueneman, E., AGPC Lutaladio, B., AGPC Okoth, J., Regional project on Expansion of FFS in Eastern and Southern Africa -Uganda Jones, J., AGPP Gallagher, K., FAOR, Sierra Leone Breithaupt, J., AGPP Beltramme, M, AGPD AGP Registry

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BACK-TO-OFFICE REPORT

I. Reporting Officer(s): Wafa El Khoury, Plant Pathology Officer, AGPP

II. Registry File Code:

III. Co-Travellers: none

IV. Brief recommendations/follow-up action:

The project is being finalized, with the national BBW-FFS field day and a national final workshop completed and recommendations for the sustainability of the activities prepared (Annex 5). The project activities have been successfully conducted and have resulted in a presidential announcement by HE President of Uganda Mr Yoweri Museveni directing the agriculture ministry to ensure that Farmers Field Schools are set up countrywide (press releases Annex 2 and 3).

The reports of the national consultants on the following topics should still be submitted and cleared. • Development of a Protocol for the safe use of banana debris dumped in markets • Development of Protocol for the production of clean banana seedlings by FFS • Documentation of Success Stories from BBW Farmer Field Schools in Uganda • Lessons learnt to support sustainability of BBW Farmer Field Schools in Uganda

The mission of the TCDC consultant to prepare the “Farmer Field School Training Manual for Banana Production” should be completed and his report received and cleared. The final reports of the LoA with NARO are also expected for final clearance.

V. MISSION REPORT

The mission agenda included participation in the national BBW field day organized by the project team under the auspice of HE the President of Uganda as well as the participation in the final workshop planned to set the stage for the actions needed to ensure the sustainability of the activities of the project.

National BBW-FFS Field day:

The national BBW-FFS field day was held on 8th August 2008 in Ndeija, Mbarara using the theme of “Food Security and Prosperity for all through Farmer Field Schools” . The field day was under the auspice of HE the President of Uganda Mr Museveni. The Hon. Minister of State for Animal Industry Mr Rwamirama represented HE the President of Uganda while the Hon Minister for Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), Mr Hilari Onek was represented by the Hon. Minister of State for Fisheries Mr Mucisa. The national field day was also attended by the Secretary General of the MAAIF, the DG of NARO, 3 members of the parliament and several senior policy makers.

The field day included a visit to the field by the senior policy makers to meet FFS farmers where the farmers explained what they learned, their innovations and how they expanded their production and improved their income. The participants then visited the exhibition booths set by over 12 BBW FFS from the different districts where the farmers showed their various products. The programme also included a parade with a music band undertaken by over 200 persons representing the FFS members (10 from over 12 FFS) and pupils of several schools in the parish, lunch, drama, dance and song performances done by the FFS members and finally the speeches by the Ministers, Members of Parliaments, and representatives of FAO–Uganda, BBWCI and of the FFS (photos). The field day programme is presented in Annex 1. 2 Improving Integrated Production and Pest Management to control Banana Bacterial Wilt - TCP/UGA/3102 (T)

During the national field day the HE the president of Uganda and through his speech given by his representative Hon. Minister of State for Animal Industry Mr Rwamirama, Mr Museveni directed the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Industry to ensure that FFS are set up countrywide and that the FFS would be adopted by NAADS (Press releases in Annex 2 and 3).

Meeting the Media 11 August 2008-12-02

As a consequence of the field day, and the announcement made by HE the President of Uganda in support of the FFS, a press session was done on 11 August for the media in . The press session was attended by each of Hon. Minister of State for Animal Industry Mr Rwamirama, Mr Okaasai Opolot the Commissioner for Crop Production and the RO from FAO.

The media asked several questions related to the support to the government to agriculture in general and specifically to the problem of banana bacterial wilt and the FFS approach and the role of the project and FAO. During the press conference, Hon. Minister of State for Animal Industry Mr Rwamirama reconfirmed that, based on the directions of the President of Uganda, the NAADS in its new re-structuring will adopt the FFS in all its programmes and activities.

Final Workshop 12 August 2008

A final workshop was prepared with the aim of setting the stage for the follow-up actions needed in the country for the sustainability of the project activities and the FFS, and the incorporation of the FFS approach in the NAADS structure. In preparation of the final workshop, a meeting was held at FAO- Uganda office on 11 August 2008 and was attended by each Mr Okaasai (Commissioner for Production), representatives of NAADS, crop protection of MAAIF and BBWCI. The opportunities and constraints of adopting and integrating the FFS approach in the NAADS programme were discussed to identify the best mechanisms for such a adoption in a smooth way without conflicting with present structure of NAADS while maintaining the quality of the FFS. Guidelines were prepared for a road map of progressive areas and activities that could be incorporated with the present NAADS structure.

The Final Workshop was held on 12 August 2008 in Hotel Equatoria in Kampala. It was attended by over 40 participants representing various districts (Lira, Mbarara, Kiboga, Kamuli, Mukono, Isingiro, and Kiruhura), MAAIF, NARO, donors NGOs and the press. The Hon Minister for Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), Mr Hilari Onek was represented by the Hon. Minister of State for Fisheries Mr Mucisa. The workshop programme and invited participants is attached in Annex 4.

The workshop objectives were to develop the mechanisms for sustainability of the project activities and to plan and recommend the next steps for expanding the FFS approach nationally. The workshop included technical presentations on the national consultancies undertaken and including the FFS approach for BBW management in the project and the success stories observed, the institutionalization of the FFS approach and the empowerment of the farmers, protocols developed for the safe use of banana debris dumped in the markets and for the production of clean banana material by farmers. The workshop ended in discussions and recommendations as to way forward (Annex 5).

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Annex 1

PROGRAM FOR THE NATIONAL FIELD DAY TIME ACTIVITY 8.30 am Arrival of Farmers and Exhibitors 9.00 am Guests arrive 9.00-10.00 am General public visit the stalls and village 10.30 am General public assembles in the pavilion 11.00 -1.00 pm Arrival of HE The President tour of village and inspection of stalls 1.00 pm Match /parade/parade by farmers and students of village accompanied by a local band 1.20 pm National Anthem 1.30 pm Prayers Speech LCI Play and song by farmers Speech LCV Speech NPC Poem and song by school children Speech FAO Speech Area MP Traditional Dance and Song by Farmers Speech Minister Speech His Excellence the President

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Annex 2

THE Museveni wants farmers’ schools countrywide

Tuesday, 12th August, 2008 Felix Basiime and Abdulkarim Ssengendo

PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni has directed the agriculture ministry to ensure that Farmers Field Schools are set up countrywide.

He noted that farmers use only 30% of the available technology to improve their yields. “A lot of technologies have been generated by NARO (National Agricultural Research Organisation and other research agencies but only 30% have been taken by farmers despite the efforts by NAADS (National Agricultural Advisory Services) and local governments in reaching the farmers,” he said.

The remarks were contained in a speech read by the state minister for animal industry, Maj. Bright Rwamirama, during the national farmers’ field day at Kanyantura Primary School in Mbarara district on Friday.

The day, marked under the theme Food Security and Prosperity through Farmers Field Schools, attracted farmers from five field school pilot districts of Mbarara, Kamuli, Lira, Kiboga and Mukono to share experiences.

The field school approach is a community-based and practice-oriented field study process bringing together groups of farmers under the guidance of an expert throughout the production cycle.

As a result, it has emerged that farmers have improved their organisation and management skills in the 100 field schools countrywide, mainly focusing on fighting the bacterial banana wilt disease.

The disease was first reported in Mukono and Kamuli districts in 2001 and since spread throughout the country.

But the agriculture ministry intervened and lowered the prevalence levels through the field schools.

The project is being funded by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), which has put in $419,000 for the last two years.

Owing to the success of the project in Uganda, Charles Owach, the FAO country representative director, said they would take the field school experience to other East African countries hit by banana wilt disease.

“We shall bring farmers from Kenya and the DR Congo to learn from Uganda.

“The same approach has been used to help farmers overcome other challenges at the village level,” he said.

The field schools have not more than 30 members at the village level.

The commissioner for production, Okaasai Opolot, promised to help the farmers’ groups acquire skills in record-keeping and marketing.

Earlier, Rwamirama visited households in Kibare village.

“We found some homes that used to cut six to 10 (small) bunches of matooke (bananas) for meals in a day could now use one big bunch and others have built permanent houses (from the matooke revenue),” he said.

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Annex 3

THE

Banana wilt under control 12 TH TUESDAY, AUGUST 2008

ALFRED TUMUSHABE Mbarara

Uganda has succeeded in fighting the banana bacterial wilt, an agricultural commissioner has revealed. Mr Okaasai Opolot, the commissioner for Production and Marketing in the Agriculture Ministry said last Friday the disease has been fought through a joint effort of the government, farmers and Food and Agricultural Organisation (Fao).

“Today, not a single banana plant is showing a sign of wilt in all the districts where Farmer Field Schools (FFS) have been established,” said Mr Opolot. Mr Opolot was speaking during the FFS national open day in Ndeija Subcounty in Mbarara district.

“The overall disease control in the country is over 75 per cent and its spread is reducing further,” he added. He said Uganda’s experience in fighting the wilt is to be used in other East African countries that are also affected.

In 2006, Fao started a two year Shs676 million FFS project in the districts of Mbarara, Lira, Mukono, Kiboga and Kamuli. Mr Opolot said Uganda alone produces 10 million metric tonnes of bananas annually “By 2010, the country would have lost Shs4 billion if the disease was not controlled,” he said.

The disease broke out in Kayunga district in 2002, and has since spread to all parts of the country and neighbours. The Officer in Charge of Fao, Mr Charles Awach, said they begun with 100 pilot FFS in 25 sub counties. Banana bacterial wilt also known as Xanthomonas can potentially destroy thousands of acres of the banana crop.

Meanwhile, State Minister for Animal Industry Bright Rwamirama pledged more government support to FFS. “I wish to affirm support to the FFS and other systems that improve farmers’ adoption of other numerous technologies already generated,” he said.

He said the government is focusing on areas that will increase production of marketable products that bring high returns. The FFS approach is a community-based and practically oriented field study process.

Farmers are taught modern farming practices through experimental and participatory learning on their farmlands. They are under guidance of a facilitator .

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ANNEX 4

Final National Wrap-up Workshop Hotel Equatoria, Kampala 12 August 2008

Programme

08:00-09:00 Registration 09:00-10:30 Session 1: Welcoming session Chairperson: Permanent Secretary - MAAIF • Chairperson of the Donor Committee • FAO representation • Opening remarks by the Guest of Honour • Objectives of the Workshop by NPC 10:30-11:00 Coffee break 11:00-13:00 Session 2: Project objectives and Chairperson: ED-NAADS achievements • Farmers Field Schools approach in Mr Okasaai Opolot banana bacterial wilt control • Success stories in the BBW-FFS Mr Jerome Kubiriba • Safe use of banana debris dumped in Mr Tushimereirwe markets • Banana planting material production Mr Bosco Bua • Institutionalization of FFS Mrs Beartice Byarugaba • Farmer’s empowerment through FFS Mr James Okoth 13:00-14:00 Lunch 14:00-16:00 Session 3: Discussion and Resolutions Chairperson: DG-NARO • Emerging issues – discussion 16:00-17:00 • Resolutions Chairperson: Director-Crop Resources 17:00 Closure of the Workshop

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ANNEX 5 Final National Wrap-up Workshop Hotel Equatoria, Kampala 12 August 2008

Recommendations and the Way Forward

1. Integration with NAADS/NARO activities: Potential areas for negotiation with NAADS:

– FFS become NAADS groups; already available – NAADS groups transformed into FFS with support from Farmer Institutional Development (Group formalization process) – Demonstration and lead farmers – Nucleus, model and other farmers – Technology Development Sites (season-long training) – Community-based facilitators- some limited funds available (FFS facilitators); additional contribution of every subcounty – FFS in the ToRs of service providers / Train extension workers with facilitation skills

2. Local governments involvement: sensitization – MAAIF mobilizes all local governments – MAAIF organizes a national workshop on awareness and planning for other Districts, donors and NGOs – Awareness raising, sensitization of local governments – Incorporate Investment money in production – At least one FFS at the parish level (directive from the Government?) – Incorporation of the plan in the Department

3. Quality assurance: FAO will work with MAAIF (now coordinating activities of NGOs) to develop FFS standards and facilitator’s capacities building

4. Networking: harmonizing the FFS networks with various Farmer fora and associations

5. Fund raising: sustaining FFS should be on the agenda of MAAIF in donor meetings

6. The 5 Districts with FFS should lead in sensitizing other districts and becoming examples;

7. Improving the FFS quality in within the 5 Districts first, still building on the local successes

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Photos

National Banana Bacterial Wilt – Farmers Field Schools field day “Food Security and Prosperity for all through Farmer Field Schools” 8 August 2008, Ndeija, Mbarara, Uganda

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