FACULTY OF ARTS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES P. O. BOX 1, KYAMBOGO – KAMPALA, UGANDA Website: www.kyu.ac.ug DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENT STUDIES Change Project Title: Gender-based perspectives on milk safety among smallholder farmers around Lake Mburo National park, Uganda. INSTITUTIONS AND PROJECT TEAM Training Institutions National Veterinary Institute, Uppsala, Sweden & Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Implementing Institution Kyambogo University( Department of Development Studies) Duration of the Project 12 Months Advisory Team 1. Associate, Professor Sofia Boqvist, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences 2. Dr. Elizabeth Kyazike, Kyambogo University(KYU) Steering Team 1. Ms. Asiimwe Florence(KYU) 2. Ms. Mbambu Jackline (KYU) 3. Mr. Natamba Shadrach(KYU) Project Coordinator: Judith Irene Nagasha (KYU) Email: [email protected] [email protected] Tel: +256 782 321113 1.0 Introduction Agriculture is the backbone of the poor in developing countries (FAO, 2012). Majority (over 75%) rural small holder farmers primarily depend on agriculture for their livelihoods (Kembe & Omundi, 2016, FAO, 2008, Gollin, 2010). Milk and dairy production are crucial for the daily food security of rural families throughout the world (Katothya, 2017, Kimaro, 2016). Uganda’s rural local communities where most milk (80%) is produced lack knowledge on how to protect milk from contamination (Mwesigwa et al., 2009). Uganda’s dairy’s development authority acknowledges that the biggest challenges facing the industry are those associated with poor milk quality and pronounced seasonality of milk production. This is because Livestock especially cattle and goats are raised under unhygienic environments which predispose them to zoonotic soil and water borne-diseases. Locally, milk is produced and processed under unhygienic conditions for home consumption and for sale along the road transport highways Delia et al (2015). Milk from farmers is transported in unhygienic conditions and poorly cleaned containers to the collection centers. Consequently, gender and value chain research has shown that men and women often face different barriers to participating in value chains that stem from gender-based differences in social norms and access to assets such as land, financial capital, social capital, information, and education (Quisumbing et al. 2015 & Delia, 2015). These differences lead to processes of milk production, processing, sale, preparation, and consumption of milk products that are highly gendered, with men and women occupying diverse but often segregated or complementary roles along the value chain. Women play a significant role in activities related to animal husbandry and dairy production, but their participation is commonly concentrated at the handling level, in less profitable activities than those of men (Spring 2014; Katothya, 2017). In most developing countries particularly in poor countries such as Uganda, there is lack of gender specific data related to the practices of quality milk production and safety. There is also limited information on how gendered participation in value chains guarantees milk safety to avoid health risks. Gender approaches to milk safety remain limited within the wider food safety literature (FAO, 2018; Katothya, 2017). On the other hand, providing useful frameworks for gender analysis, has not yet fully addressed gendered dimensions on good practices regarding milk safety within the production chain. This study was carried out to assess gender-based perspectives on milk safety among smallholder farmers in Kiruhura district among communities surrounding Lake Mburo Nation Park, Uganda. The study was underpinned by intra household decision making process theories; suggest two models that work with in a household namely; unitary and bargaining models. (Mader and Schnecbaum, 2013). This will enable the study to argue from livelihoods approach (Ransom et al., 2017; Kristjanson et al., 2010)” which has practical interventions that are closely interlinked; helping women secure, build and safeguard their assets, helping women increase and sustain their livestock productivity, and helping women participate in and benefit from production and marketing of safe livestock food products in Kiruhura district. 1.1 Kyambogo University Kyambogo University is a public university in Uganda. It is one of the eight public universities and degree-awarding institutions in the country. The Vice Chancellor’s vision for the University is “to transform Kyambogo University into a truly international, research active institution with better qualified staff, adequate facilities and ICT infrastructure, producing high quality, relevant and skilled graduate”. In relation to the university commitment to research development and innovation, this project will undertake a research based approach that works towards contributing to the above vision. In addition, the university policy highly regards gender inclusiveness and therefore works towards advocating for equal opportunities for both men and women in the development arena. In relation to this therefore, the project aims towards promoting gender based practices in ensuring the safety of milk production and reduction of health risks among smallholder farmers who play an important role in the value chain. 2.0 Description of the Project: Uganda’s informal market sector serves as a conduit for about 70 percent of the milk marketed. The rural local communities where most milk (80%) is produced lack knowledge on how to protect milk from contamination. Uganda’s dairy’s development authority acknowledges that the biggest challenges facing the industry are those associated with poor milk quality and pronounced seasonality of milk production. According to Uganda’s annual June celebration (Dairy month), the theme for 2018 was under the theme “Gender Inclusion for wealth and health in milk production and consumption. The theme is to acknowledge women’s significant contribution to the dairy sub sector in particular and agricultural in general to food security and the country’s GDP. Therefore, this project will adopt a gender approach in order to realize goal 5 of the SDGs. Livestock keepers around Lake Mburo National Park (LMNP) are pastoralists, ranchers and smallholder farmers. Livestock especially cattle and goats are raised under unhygienic environments which predispose them to zoonotic soil and water borne-diseases. Locally, milk is produced and processed under unhygienic conditions for home consumption and for sale along the road transport highways. Milk from farmers is transported in unhygienic conditions and poorly cleaned containers to the collection centers. Women are usually preoccupied in preparation of dairy products especially milk and ghee for sale and home consumption. Men and women roles in ensuring safety in production and handling of livestock food products along the value chain differ. Consequently their knowledge, attitudes and practices towards production of safe milk differ and need to be known. This knowledge is crucial in designing comprehensive gender-based inclusive measures to promote safety milk during production and handling along the value chain. 3.0 Nature of communities around LMNP The project was implemented in Kiruhura district in western Uganda. The project was carried out in Nyabushozi County in Kiruhura district. Communities surrounding Lake Mburo National Park (LMNP) have experienced frequent severe droughts (Ocaido et al., 2009 which threaten their livelihoods and sustainable management of this park. There are two main Banyankole sub-ethnic groups that are predominant in the area around the national park, namely the Bairu (about 45% of the population) who are mainly cultivators and agro-pastoralists, and the Bahima (about 23% of the population), who are mainly herdsmen and have adopted to agro-pastoralism. 4.0 Problem Statement/Need for Change Project: Livestock sector in Uganda is one of the highly regarded sub sectors of agriculture that is curial for realizing development especially in rural areas. It’s highly dominated by smallholder farmers who derive their livelihoods from the value chain processes in the production process. Women in particular play important roles in livestock production, processing, and livestock product retail (Herrero et al., 2013). However, major concerns about the safety of livestock products to the health of the consumers is due to poor handling techniques in the value production chain that partly come as a result of lack of training about good and safe practices for both men and women within the livestock industry. In addition Poor hygiene poses great health risks to the production and consumption especially of milk products. Delia et al (2015) acknowledge that foodborne diseases remain a major public problem and an important route for transmission, milk being one of the riskiest products. Uganda also lacks an effective gender based food safety policy and food-borne disease surveillance system that could promote the production of safe milk. Women’s involvement in raising livestock especially the large stock and their roles in control and decision making at household level is lacking due to socio-cultural challenges. There is also no gender approach that has been attempted to educate the local communities on methods of producing safe milk at household level among communities surrounding Lake Mburo National Park. 5.0 Aim of the project The project aims to improve the quality of milk production through capacity building (Men and Women)