Domains of Change

Food security, food safety and sustainability of agricultural production are still critical challenges for the growing global population. Major crops that are important for food security and income generation in developing countries suffer from frequent and severe production constraints due to poor crop management and, increasingly, the impacts of climate change. Increasing worldwide concern about the environmental costs and food safety issues of conventional agricultural practices calls for the implementation of agroecological farming approaches to avoid these negative environmental impacts, while supplying more and safe food.

Agroecology is an integrated approach that simultaneously applies ecological and social concepts and principles to the design and management of food and agricultural systems. It seeks to optimize the interactions between plants, animals, humans and the environment while taking into consideration the social aspects that need to be addressed for a sustainable and fair food system. Agroecology is based on bottom-up and territorial processes, helping to deliver contextualized solutions to local problems, and agroecology innovations are based on the co-creation of knowledge, combining science with the local knowledge of farmers. By enhancing their autonomy and adaptive capacity, agroecology empowers farmers and communities as key agents of change. Rather than tweaking the practices of unsustainable agricultural systems, agroecology seeks to transform food and agricultural systems, addressing the root causes of problems in an integrated way and providing holistic and long-term solutions. Agroecology places a strong focus on the rights of women, youth and indigenous peoples.

PELUM and its partners will contribute to the production of more and safer food by focusing on three key aspects:  Promotion of agroecology-based and safer production practices; building community resilience to climate change; and promotion of renewable energy and water shed management.  In terms of our approach, we shall work with and through member organizations, engage more with community structures and build stronger ties with local authorities, and work in partnerships where there is a strong added value.

Agroecological marketing covers the services involved in moving an agricultural product from the farm to the consumer.  These services involve the planning, organizing, directing and handling of agricultural produce in such a way as to satisfy farmers, intermediaries and consumers. Numerous interconnected activities are involved in doing this, such as planning production, growing and harvesting, grading, packing and packaging, transport, storage, value addition, provision of market information, distribution, advertising and sale. Effectively, the term encompasses the entire range of supply chain operations for agricultural products, whether conducted through ad hoc sales or a chain, such as one involving farmers. Efforts to develop agricultural marketing have tended to concentrate on infrastructure development; information provision; training of farmers and traders in marketing and post-harvest issues; and support to the development of an appropriate policy environment. In the past, efforts were made to develop government-run marketing bodies but these have become less prominent over the years.

During this period 2022-2026, PELUM and partners will focus on supporting farming communities to access innovative solutions, including financing, business development services and access to markets. These activities will provide incentives for farming communities to adhere to voluntary production standards, while creating employment opportunities, especially for women and youth, and enhancing incomes

Policy is a framework based on guiding principles within which an individual, government or organization operates to realize specified goals/objectives. We can also look at policy as guidelines for governance of the state, allocation of resources and a framework for pursuing national or state aspirations and sometimes solving citizens’ problems. PELUM Uganda’s main advocacy agenda for the strategic period 2022 – 2026 will focus on influencing policy and practice change on agricultural and natural resource management issues. We shall continue to engage at Micro, Meso and Macro levels in influencing policy and practice change. The advocacy will be broad-based and the strategy will depend on what is most appropriate for the context guided by an analysis of the issue. The specific components of our advocacy (the issues) will include: 1) Climate Change; 2) Land and extractives; 3) Agroecology, and 4) Agricultural Financing and Markets.

Specific Objectives 2022 – 2026
• To influence policy on agriculture and natural re
sources related issues
• To influence practice change on agriculture and
natural resources related issues.

More Ugandans are becoming poorer and more vulnerable according to the recent report of the Uganda National Bureau of Statistics (UBOS). Despite the economy showing high growth rates, service delivery is reducing and more people are getting poorer. Donors annually report a reduction in the funding available to meet the needs of the most vulnerable people. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economies of developed countries where the highest donor funds come from is likely to make the situation even stiffer. PELUM Uganda has been successful in sourcing diverse donor funds; however, the changing funding environment in the country is likely to affect PELUM Uganda. The threat of reduction in donor funding calls for strong program management systems to effectively and efficiently deliver quality programs that donors are confident and prepared to fund. We are aware that we need to grow our operations at the same pace as we grow our programs. We have made considerable progress in strengthening our systems, we need to make more efforts in program quality management. We will improve documentation and learning from our programs, the work of member organizations and communicate effectively to donors, peer agencies and other actors in such a way that we are seen as a “go- to- agency” for credible evidence-based information to influence decision making processes to advance agroecology and natural resource management.

During this strategic plan, we will continue to strengthen our governance systems, and realign our structures to effectively and efficiently deliver quality programs. Our target will be to sustain annual growth of 10% in the financing, strengthen accountability and budget absorption, strengthen governance and operations structures and systems and strengthen and nurture strategic partnerships.

Achieving Sustainable Development in Uganda remains a challenging goal, for both government and none state actors, it is important that attention is given to how the institutions organise themselves to deliver the change they commit to deliver for the people they serve.
During this strategic plan, we will continue to strengthen our governance systems, realign our structures to effectively and efficiently deliver quality programmes. Our target will be to sustain annual growth of 10percent in financing, strengthen accountability and budget absorption, strengthen governance and operations structures and systems and strengthen and nurture strategic partnerships.

Specific Objectives 2022 – 2026
• To sustain annual growth of 10percent in financing
• To strengthen accountability and budget absorption
• To strengthen governance and operations structures and systems
• To strengthen and nurture strategic partnerships

What is new
• Resource mobilisation strategy