PELUM UGANDA PROMOTES ACCESS TO AGROECOLOGICAL MARKET ACCESS THROUGH PESA MODEL
In Uganda, small and medium sized producers still find it difficult to access agroecological markets due to; inadequate information, wanting product quality and quantities, operation costs among others. PELUM Uganda used the PESA model that focuses on placing the farmer in the ‘driver’s seat’ of the marketplace, with an aim of improving trust and collaboration with other chain actors to obtain better returns from the agricultural enterprise to improve access to agroecological markets by mainly small-scale farmers.
This quarter PELUM Uganda visited and provided technical back stopping to various MOs groups implementing PESA model to identify successes, challenges and agree on future support that can be provided, these were in the districts of; Nebbi, Soroti, Tororo, Buikwe, Mukono, Kayunga, Rukiga, Fort portal, Wakiso, Kabale from 4th to 14th June. Like many well thought out model, interactions with the groups revealed a lot of successes so far achieved because of implementing the model.
Before the PESA model, farmers used to get challenges with production, productivity and marketing of their agroecological products, mainly because, members were engaged in too many enterprises at the same time, invested a lot in producing different very many products and marketing of these products was always a challenge due to low production, individual bulking and marketing of the products. There was also Individual marketing of the different products by group members which led to high exploitation from the traders. The model introduced the farmers to business planning, bulking, market research among other modules that have been used to improve on their marketing opportunities and incomes. Though with some challenges, the model has been a success and challenges will provide action points for future engagements with member organisations and PELUM Uganda secretariat.
