Voices from the Field

Special Edition 2022

Contents
Ethiopia

679

By participating in the project, I have gained new skills and knowledge
on how to apply improved agronomic practices
Promoting Mobile Mechanical Postharvest Machines: The case ofPrivate Threshing /Shelling Service Provision Model
Agro-dealership is more than just a source of income!

Mali
Because of the effects of climate change, all our old varieties are

12 abandoned

I can now share with my community that food is medicine - A story

13 about how SAA created awareness on nutrition at rural villages
14

A Rural Entrepreneur Producing Catfish to Supply Local Consumers
in Mali1

Nigeria

16

SAA-Nigeria is helping farmers overcome soil degradation with the Urea

18

From begging to production: The case of self-help group challenged in

19

I’m really grateful – the success story of Dorothy Anima Effa, one ofSuper Granules (USG) Fertilizer Applicator - The story of Adamu Hotoro

Billiri, Gombe State, Nigeria

SAFE’s first graduates

UgandaI present my heartfelt thanks to SAA Uganda - The Ugandan farmers’

21 group benefitting from SAA initiatives
22

Meet Helen Edwe, a 73-year-old woman providing agro-technologies to

24

Improving nutrition at vulnerable communities in Uganda

her fellow farmers

2

3

SAA top management visiting Debeso Sora’s permagarden plot in Ethiopia

Sasakawa Africa Association
SAA was established in 1986 by Japanese philanthropist Ryoichi Sasakawa, Nobel Laurate Dr. Norman Borlaug, and former US President
Jimmy Carter. Focusing on agricultural extension and smallholder
farmer development, SAA is active in 12 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. SAA works with various partners, including universities and agricultural colleges, to promote improved appropriate technologies andpractices that increase crop yields and household incomes.
Since 2009, SAA has expanded its interventions across the entire agricultural value chain by strengthening the links between agriculturalresearch, extension and advisory systems, and farmers. Recently, SAA
endeavored a frontier of environment-friendly agricultural development in Africa through the above stated strategy. In its current strategy (2021-2025), SAA focuses on three pillars: Regenerative Agriculture(RA), Nutrition Sensitive Agriculture (NSA) and Market-oriented Agriculture (MOA) while addressing capacity building, inclusiveness andDigital Transformation (DX) as cross-cutting areas.

45

Ethiopia

6

“By participating in the project, I have gained new skills and knowledge on how toapply improved agronomic practices”
Tesfaye Andualem is a smallholder farmer from the
Womberma Woreda in the Amhara region of Ethiopia. Despite owning three hectares of land on which
he grows the BH660 maize variety, Tesfaye produced
4.5-5MT/ha due to inefficient agronomic practices.
Moreover, Tesfaye previously sold his grain immediately after harvesting, which is when prices are
typically low.
In 2018, SAA Ethiopia introduced the AGRA funded
IMPACT project, which seeks to improve market-led
production of designated commodities in order toimprove the income and food security of smallholder farmers. The project was rolled out in two
regions, and Tesfaye was one of the many hundredsof farmers who participated in the project.

Smallholder farmer Tesfaye Andualem with his surplus maizegrain stored in PICS bags

increase yield and income,” comments Tesfaye “Ifeel motivated in applying the new farming practices I’ve learned.”
To this end, he increased the amount of farm land
allocated to maize and planted half of his land areawith BH546 in the production season. According
to Tesfaye, the performance of BH546 in his field
is outstanding and several farmers who visited hisplot were inspired by the variety and practices hefollowed.

Farmers participating in the project were able tobenefit from preseason training, demonstrations ofimproved crop varieties, good agronomic practices,and farmers’ field days. During the latter, Tesfaye
learnt that the productivity of improved maize varieties, such as BH546, was close to 6.7 MT/ha in his
neighbour’s field. This is much higher than the yield
he used to obtain, and he therefore decided to growthe BH546 variety in his own farm plot.

Tesfaye also learnt about the use of PICS bag, which
he uses to procure and store his surplus maize grain
to sell in the lean season: ‘’keeping maize for such along time without any loss is amazing! I am lucky toparticipate in this project, and storage and marketing for my surplus produce is no longer a challenge.’’“By participating in the project, I have gained new
skills and knowledge on how to apply improved agronomic practices, and select improved varieties to

Tesfaye now owns 10 PICS bags, a knapsack sprayer,
as well as other farm machinery and continues toseek innovative and productive methods of cultivation for increasing productivity and income from his
produce.

Tesfaye Andualem with his maize field

7“Participation in the IMPACT Project has helped me
and my neighbouring farmers reassess our practices,and to reduce postharvest losses,” Tesfaye explains,“the adoption of improved maize production practices and grain storage technologies demonstrated
by SAA has greatly increased my productivity.’’Promoting Mobile Mechanical Postharvest Machines: The case of Private Threshing /Shelling Service Provision Model
Traditional threshing is one of the major activities
in the postharvest system which is very tedious andlabor intensive and contributes much to the overall
postharvest losses in Ethiopia. It involves pounding, beating and animal trampling. In addition to
the quantitative losses that occur during threshing,it compromises the grain quality as the grain gets
mixed with sand, soil, dirt and other impurities on
the threshing floor. Feeding by the trampling animals, kernel damage/breakage, wastage throughincomplete threshing, etc. are some of the quantitative loss factors related to the traditional practice.
In general, conventional threshing is characterized
by drudgery, human and oxen labor intensiveness,time taking, low grain quality and high grain losses.
This calls for alternative ways of threshing/shelling
methods that are faster and efficient.

engine attachment. Then, the technologies were introduced to pilot districts producing surplus cereal
crops such as teff, maize and wheat. The mode ofintervention involved taking the machines to the targeted areas and demonstrating for the communities
to observe and understand the advantages of thetechnologies.

A typical teff threshing service provision using partial cleaningthresherTesfaye Andualem with his maize field

Cognizant of the situation, SAA initiated demonstration of different postharvest technologies in 2003 to
reduce postharvest losses and maintain grain quality for better market access and price. As a result,a mechanical cereal crop thresher was introduced
from the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Nigeria, and modified in collaboration
with Selam Technical and Vocational College (STVC)
for threshing small cereal crops such as teff, millet,
sorghum, wheat and barley. Locally, the Bako maizesheller was selected and modified in collaboration
with AGE-Engineering Metal Works for its simplified
Belg is the short rainy season in Ethiopia normally beginning in 8
February, which lasts for 2-3 months.

1

The result of the demonstrations was very successful in some 1belg growing areas of Shashemene district and its surroundings. Further, promotion of thetechnologies continued by providing a multi-crop
thresher machine to a young and observant entrepreneur on terms of a partial credit. After obtaining
training organized by SAA-Ethiopia on the operationand maintenance of the machine, the young entrepreneur together with his brothers served the twoneighboring districts of Shashemene and Negele
Arsi by threshing crops on rental basis. The service
provision by the entrepreneur took place within thesame year of demonstration and his acquiring of thethresher machine. In five years, the diffusion of themechanical cereal crop thresher boomed in Shashemene district. Since 2-3 years’ time of its introduction there has been no use of oxen for threshing teffand adoption is 100% in the area.

The rental service went beyond Shashemene to neighboring districts of Negele Arsi, Shala and Siraro in 2-3
years’ time, increasing the profit of the private service providers. As the number of service providers increased in number and saturated the three districts,
the service providers moved to other teff-growing
zones seeking additional working hours in a year to
maximize their profit margin. They travelled to distantplaces up to 320 km away from their home to Baleand Guji zones where the machine had not been introduced. Presently, adoption of the technology hasreached West Gojam zone for maize shelling and East
Shewa, West Shewa and South West Shewa for teffthreshing.

The high adoption rate of the technology came asa result of the benefits associated with the advantages of quality produce which generates premium
price, reduction of losses, and saving of human laborand oxen time. Furthermore, shellers/threshers generated job opportunities for machine operators andbrought substantial income for their owners (Figure1.) They also brought job opportunities for local machine fabricators and maintenance service providers. Generally, threshers and maize shellers contributed to increased farm income, improved farmers’
working conditions and created a brand new rental
service market with hundreds of new jobs.

Figure 1. Total shelled maize and revenue generated by one of the prominent maize shelling Private Service Provider over five years’ period

9Agro-dealership is more than just a source of income!

There are two objectives of establishing Agro-dealer
groups in the IMPACT project: The first is to address
the challenges of the rural farming community’s access to agricultural inputs (seeds, fertilizers, pesticide
chemicals, etc.) in the required quality, quantity andtime; and the second is to create jobs for the rural
youth.
Denberie Gizachew, is one of the agro-dealers in the
Amhara region’s Baso Liben district who is supportedby the AGRA-funded IMPACT (Improving Market-led
Production of selected Agricultural Commodities inTargeted woredas of Amhara and Tigray) project
Denberie, like many other young people in the country, has struggled to find work in her field of study
after graduating with a BSc in Plant Sciences in 2019. 10

As a result, she was compelled to live with her parents in a rural village far from the district town. She
did not, however, sit idle during her stay with herparents; rather, she assisted herself by starting asmall business making candles from honey-wax andthreading it for church service.
Her self-employment of a micro-enterprise later assisted her to be selected by the district agricultural
office for the IMPACT project’s agro-dealer assistanceinitiative, in which target groups are recruited basedon predetermined selection criteria such as self-motivation and business acumen. In March 2020, the
IMPACT project provided her with seed money of
USD 2,700, which she matched with funds from her
previous business. Furthermore, the project, in col-laboration with government partners, provided her
with business skills and agro-input management
training, as well as assistance in adhering with tradeand quarantine standards.
In May 2020, Denberie started an agro-chemicals
shop in the district town, where there were shortageof agro-chemical vendors. Despite her lack of experience in the agricultural inputs supply business, she
was optimistic that her company would succeed because the training had improved her confidence inher professional interest.
During one of their visits, the IMPACT project staff
observed over 28 different types of agro-chemicals,
hermetic grain storage bags (PICS bags), sprayers,
and tree and vegetable seeds in her shop. She established relationships with a variety of wholesalers anda large number of farmer customers. As a result, hersales volume is considerably increasing. She suppliedand sold approximately 2000 liters of chemicals, 150
liters of fungicides, 418 kg of vegetable seeds, 25 kgof tree seeds, 560 PICS bags, and 55 sprayers in ayear. Denberie’s capital increased by 30% in a year
from her start-up capital. Besides, over 3,500 farmers (850 female) have got access to much-needed inputs within a walking distance from their houses as aresult of her services.

Denberie Gizachew at her agro-chemicals shop

Denberie is so proud of her accomplishments that
she is currently earning more than she would if she
was employed. She is pleased with the changes in
her life. She is recently married and could afford topurchase all necessary house utensils on her own.
Denberie articulated her accomplishments, stating that “agro-dealership is more than just making
money. I am very satisfied with the service I provide
to the farming community where I am from.” She isindeed exceeding project expectations by deliveringseasonal agricultural inputs to smallholder farmers
over shorter distances and providing advice to farers
11
on their application and utilization.

About IMPACT Project
The IMPACT project is a three-year project funded byAlliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) and
implemented by three consortium member organizations, Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA), TechnoServe (TNS) and Farm Radio International (FRI), with
SAA serving as the lead organization. The overall goalof the project is to contribute to improvement of income and food security of smallholder farmers andtheir families in selected woredas of Amhara andTigray Regions of Ethiopia. The project is designed
to increase productivity and strengthen access to
output markets of wheat, teff and maize in the targeted woredas. It aspires to increase structured
market-oriented production of target commodities
value-chains in 20 woredas and 160 kebeles of thetwo regions.
In the Amhara region, the IMPACT project has so far
organized 12 agro-dealers with a total of 26 (14 females) members. To date, 32,000 kg of agro-chemicals, 170 kg of vegetable seeds, 10,000 kg of improved seeds, 150 kg of forest seeds, 1,300 sprayers,
16,500 PICS bags, 10,000 kg of hybrid maize seeds
and other related agro-inputs were supplied by theseorganized agro-dealers. The agro-dealers have mobilized more than USD 400,433.00 in revolving cash,
providing input access to 47,200 farmers.

Mali

12

“Because of the effects of climate change, all our old varieties are abandoned”
Assa Sanogo is a 66-year old smallholder farmer
from the village of Monzomblena in Mali. In addition to engaging in the production and processing ofagricultural products including groundnuts, Assa isalso the President of the women’s group, comprising 223 members at the Postharvest and Trade Centre (PHTC) in Monzomblena, Dioila Region, Kerela
Commune, Mali.

using the equipment safely and efficiently. “Over a
two and half month period of activity, we processed
500kg of grain groundnut into 75 container paws.
With a starting amount of $786.70, we generated
a revenue of $306. In terms of capacity building efforts, SAA has supported members of the group in avariety of areas, including entrepreneurship in agriculture, business management, marketing, and contracting, among others.

As a result of training administered by SAA on improved farming practices and technologies, Assa andher colleagues have seen their technical and operational capabilities greatly improve. “I was impressedwith the technologies SAA encouraged us to test
and adopt. At first I was reluctant – especially with
the new variety of groundnut flower 11 brought for
demonstration by SAA – as the first responsible forthe women of the village. But, time proved SAA rightafter an initial agricultural test campaign,” Assa explains, “I was impressed by the quality and quantityof the harvest within our community, and SAA has
helped ensure food security in our community.”“We are truly grateful and delighted with the training
we received, as it has enabled us to manage our own
business better, and to ensure financial profitability.
Thanks to SAA, we have seen our revenues and livelihoods greatly improved.”

Assa Sanogo (right) and an SAA field technician standing in the
groundnut pulp mill unit

In addition to training farmers on good agricultural practices, SAA also helped obtain a groundnut
processing unit consisting of a sheller, roaster andgroundnut pulp mill. Additional training ensured
smallholder farmers are fully knowledgeable in13

“I can now share with my community that food imedicine”- A story about how SAA
created awareness on nutrition at rural villages.
Awa Damba, a chair-lady of female farmer groups
at the Production Postharvest handling and Trade
Center (PHTC) of Siranikoto, Kayes Region of Mali,
established by Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA).
Awa is a host farmer of the Community Demonstration Plots (CDPs) set by SAA to promote improved
farming practice for rice especially for women group
and actively participates in several agro-processing
activities including parboiling rice and groundnut
butter processing. She is also a member of the control committee of Siranikoto PHTC.
Until I received the training by SAA, I did not know
have any knowledge on nutrition and I did not know
how the composition of the food I prepare everyday
affects wellbeing of the human body,” Awa explains“During the theoretical session, SAA staff showedus, using their DigiSoft technology “shocking” images of problems caused by unbalanced diets/malnutrition (stunting, wasting, underweight, overweightor obese, micronutrient deficiency) which are actually commonly seen in our community.”“During the practical food preparation session, we
learned hygiene is extremely important for foodsafety especially when we deal with raw ingredients.
We also got useful advice by making our two major staple foods i.e. ““To” and “Gningnin kini” rich innutrition and flavor by reducing use of oil for healthwhile replacing it with groundnut butter as sourceof plant protein and “soumbala” (fermented condiment from locust bean) and “datou” (fermented
condiment from white hibiscus flowers) to replace
artificial seasoning. We could also utilize locallyavailable seasonal fruits such as mangoes, papaya,orange and banana.

A practical session during nutrition training

Awa Damba, a chair-lady of female farmer groups at the Production
Postharvest handling and Trade Center (PHTC)
of Siranikoto“Until I received the training by SAA, I did not know
have any knowledge on nutrition and I did not know
how the composition of the food I prepare everyday
affects wellbeing of the human body,” Awa explains“During the theoretical session, SAA staff showedus, using their DigiSoft technology “shocking” images of problems caused by unbalanced diets/malnutrition (stunting, wasting, underweight, overweightor obese, micronutrient deficiency) which are actually commonly seen in our community.”
14

Awa has ambitious plans for the future. “I learned
about importance of understanding nutrition composition and got practical skills to prepare nutritious food utilizing locally available ingredients fora healthy body, and I can now share with mycommunity that food is medicine. I will start convincing all the members of our farmer organizationsof the PHTC and our community to have knowledge
about nutrition, especially of what kinds of foods
to eat, how to prepare them in the right quantities
and combinations and to avoid imbalanced and monotonous diets. To consume balanced diets utilizing
locally available materials in each community is thecheapest way for us to be in good health. From now
we know that our habit of eating balanced “Tô” and“Gningnin kini” makes food preventive medicine!”.

A Rural Entrepreneur Producing Catfish to Supply Local Consumers in Mali
Bamba KEITA is 38 years old, married and has twochildren. He lives in the village of Nafadji, 45 km
from Bamako. When he was selected for the SAA
youth entrepreneurship project, thanks to an SAA
agricultural adviser (CAT) in his locality, he was producing vegetables but was finding it difficult to growhis farm.
Following the selection, he received theoretical andpractical trainings on fish farming and business management. In addition to the business training, he
had several other training including finance. In his
words: “These trainings opened my eyes and gave
me opportunities. I realized that with my experienceand knowledge from the trainings, I could develop
my business.” He also said, “SAA has given me agreat opportunity. Before I joined the SAA project, I
wouldn’t have been able to tell you how much I earn
every month. This is no longer the case. I am applying what I have learnt in the trainings to develop mybusiness with a clear entrepreneurial vision. I am really satisfied with what I have learned and I am evenable to transfer this knowledge to someone who has
the same dream as mine.”

Bamba’s above ground aquarium for fish

After the entrepreneurship training, he joined a business plan competition and won because of the relevance of his project.
With the award, he installed a 9m3 water tank andfry house containing over 1,000 small fish. After 4
months of operation since the start of the project, he
has recorded a mortality rate of only 1.65%. He feeds
them three times a day and the average weight of
the fish is about 300 grams. Twice a week he cleans
the tank and changes the water. The wastewater isused to irrigate his vegetable garden. He says “I now
feel like a bigger person in my community, I am able
to take care of my family’s bill and cover all the expenses of the whole extended family, including myfather, mother and siblings. Being able to contributeto the creation of jobs in my home village makes me
proud. Because of this, and despite my young age, I
am respected in the community.”
Mr. Keita shared with us three recommendations toguide someone who wants to start fish farming:• Be prepared physically and mentally;• Check the quality of the water to be
used;• Find a quiet and pleasant place for thebusiness.

Mr. Bamba Keita at his fish pond

15

Nigeria

16

SAA-Nigeria is helping farmers overcome soil degradation with the Urea Super Granules(USG) Fertilizer Applicator - The story of Adamu Hotoro

SAA-Nigeria beneficiary farmer, Adamu Muhammed Hotoro poses with a USG Fertilizer applicator on his Maize
adopter plot in Kano State, Nigeria‘’The old methods of applying fertilizer did not protect us from wastage. After applying fertilizers, mostof it would be washed away by rain or getblown awayby the wind, or even melt under the hot sun, leavingvery little to be taken up by the crops.’’ - Adamu Muhammed Hotoro (Farmer).
SAA-Nigeria is promoting the Urea Super Granule(USG) technology through the Kano state agropastoral development project, KSADP to support farmers inmaximizing nutrient uptake by crops using the Urea
Deep Placement (UDP) method, which used to be a
Japanese traditional practice. With Nigerian conventional fertilizer application methods, fertilizer is easily
washed away by rain and wind after being applied,
resulting in poor crop absorption, therefore, farmers
sometimes have to reapply fertilizer to ensure a good
harvest. Now that fertilizer prices have increased andare expected to remain higher, effective fertilization
methods are more important than ever.
17

The Fertilizer applicator is a modern farm tool technology deployed by SAA-Nigeria under the regenerative agriculture pillar which is currently adopting
effective approaches to Integrated Soil Fertility management (ISFM) to restore soil fertility while optimizing the application of chemical fertilizers to improve
the agricultural productivity of smallholder farmers.
A 62-year-old smallholder farmer, Adamu Muhammed Hotoro from Hotoro community, Nasarawa
LGA, Kano state is one of the thousands of farmers
faced with the devastating effects of Climate change
and soil degradation affecting crop production in Nigeria.
Hotoro recently benefited from the KSADP project
seeking to improve the quality of life of smallholder
farmers in the state. He says the Urea Super Granule (USG) fertilizer applicator he got through SAA-Nigeria has helped reduce fertilizer wastage throughleaching and evapotranspiration effects.

Hotoro says, ‘‘Thanks to SAA I learned a new method of applying fertilizer on my farm which has madelife easier for me, before now, fertilizer application
was very cumbersome, it took a lot of my energy
and also required bending and walking on the farmfor long hours, but now the process is faster andmore efficient.’’

Currently, this farm tool is made in China, costing
USD126 at N420/unit. However, under the SAA/
KSADP project, plans are ongoing to train local fabricators in the state to pioneer its mass production
for scaling-up and sustainability.

A cross-section of beneficiary farmers during the distribution exercise
in Kano, Nigeria.

Alhaji Hotoro explains that with the Urea deep
placement method of fertilizer application using
the USG applicator, the fertilizer is not exposed but
is securely hidden in the soil for plants to take it up.
Therefore, it has considerably reduced drudgery
and increased productivity, now he is certain of a
bumper harvest.
Alhaji Hotoro also explains that he is now stepping
down the training he got on using fertilizer applicators to his children and farmers in his community.

USG Applicator beneficiary explaining the tool to his Children on his
Maize plot in Kano, Nigeria

18

From begging to production: The case of self-help group for the physically challenged
in Billiri, Gombe State, Nigeria
3. The group will increase the number of ru
minants until each member has a few tokeep.

Physically Challenged Farmers MPCS Billiri in
Gombe state is a group formed over a decade ago
with the aim to support themselves in day-to-day
wellbeing. Nevertheless, members continue to beg
in the streets of Billiri town for survival until SAA’s
intervention in 2018, they were mobilised and sensitized on the benefits of self-help group.

4. The group equally plan to procure a maizethresher for income generation, where
youths will be em ployed as operators.
According to Mr. Emmanuel, ‘’no member is seenin the street of Billiri town begging now”. He said
members can afford to eat good food as a resultof their engagement in different enterprises apartfrom the group activities as advised by SAA. Madam
Malata, a member of the group said ‘’the poultry
we keep are not only for making money but we eat
as well, she continued that our livelihood did not
only improve financially but our diet too.’’Some female members are engaged in hair plaiting
and petty trading to support their family in sending
their children to private schools as testified by Mrs
Malata Obidah. She pointed out that prior to SAA
intervention, all our children were attending public schools and feeding the family was a big challenge which forced them into begging. No member
is a beggar now and we don’t intend to go back tobegging. Madam Blessing Yakubu added, ‘’we were
wasting our time begging in the streets of Billiri
town, humiliated by members of the community
who consider us as nuisance but it is now over, amvery happy’’. Mohammed Usman added his voiceby saying, ‘’our feeding has improved and our children are attending good schools unlike prior to SAA
intervention where most of our children were either in public schools or not in school at all due topoor economic status of the members’’.

A group of PWDs participating in SAA activities in Gombe, Nigeria

The group consisting of 15 members (M8, F7) wastrained by SAA in 2019, 2020 and 2021 on groupdynamics management, agribusiness and collective
market access and supported with COVID-19 palliatives in 2020 (8 bags of fertilizer, 4 litres of herbicides and 20kgs of improved maize seeds). With
support from family members, the group harvested
2.5 metric tons which was enough for their families
as testified by Mr. John Emmanuel. As a result of
the training on enterprise management, the groupin 2019 cultivated 0.5Ha of maize and used the proceeds to buy three sheep in December 2019. The
group now is into rearing of both sheep and goats(3 goats and 6 sheep). The last beggar among thegroup stopped begging in April 2021. Apart fromgroup enterprises, members individually engage
in petty trading and poultry rearing instead of begging.

Some of the challenges mentioned by the group
includes lack of access to farmland close to theirhouses, high cost of rearing sheep and goats, difficulty in accessing funds from banks due their disabilities and lack of support from government.

Mr. John Emmanuel listed the following as the requirements for each member to continue being apart of the group:
1. Each member must keep poultry for familyneed and for business.
2. Each member must cultivate at least 0.5haof cereal and some cowpea for the family.

19

“I’m really grateful” – the success story of Dorothy Anima Effa, one of SAFE’s first
graduates
An appraisal carried out by SAA in 1992 found that
83% of Extension Officers in Ghana were largely
certificate holders from agricultural colleges. The
Sasakawa Africa Fund for Extension (SAFE) program
was launched in 1993 to support the developmentof Extension Officers beyond the academic qualifications they had acquired from agricultural colleges.
Since its inception, the SAFE program has graduatedover 7,000 students across a whole range of disciplines. By developing the confidence of Extension
Officers in transferring technologies from research
to smallholder farmers on the field, enhancing communication skills and critical thinking abilities, theprogram has increased the opportunities available
to farmers for both their professional and academic
progression.

private sectors, helping them achieve the agricultural growth and development needed to achieve foodsecurity in Ghana.

Dr Dorothy Anima Effa, an Extension Officer from
Ghana, is also a SAFE graduate who now supervises
the doctorate program. Dorothy was among the firstintake of SAFE students admitted to the Universityof Cape Coast, after the program launched in Ghana.
Prior to joining, she was an Extension Officer at the
Ghanaian Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA).
After graduating with a first class degree, Dorothy
went back to work and later applied for further studies, obtaining her doctorate degree. Whilst at MOFA,
she served as the policy and planning directorate,working closely with the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA). Alongside her work, Dorothy
now lectures at the Ghana Institute of Management
and Public Administration, where she also supervises two doctoral studies.

Dr. Dorothy Anima (middle) at her PhD graduation

This edition of Voices from the Field was written andsupplied by Joseph Kwesi Sarpong, a Ghanaian national who was also among the first intake of SAFE
students in 1993.

“I did not envision achieving so much, academically,
even now as a PhD holder” Dorothy reflects, “thiswouldn’t have been possible without the initial catalyst – the Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Extension from the SAFE program. I’m really grateful”.
Today, almost all of the District Directors of Agriculture in Ghana are products of the SAFE programme.
Several hold key posts in the Cocoa Services, Foodand Agriculture Organization (FAO), as well as other agricultural organizations. The SAFE program hasdeveloped qualified professionals in the public and20

Uganda21

“I present my heartfelt thanks to SAA Uganda” - The Ugandan farmers’ group
benefitting from SAA initiatives
The Bulamu Tweweyo Farmers’ group was selected to participate in the Vegetable Oil Development
Project (VODP), launched in 2016 by Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA) Uganda, in partnership with
the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and
Fisheries (MAAIF) and the International Fund for
Agricultural Development (IFAD). The project aims
to alleviate poverty among rural communities by
increasing production of vegetable oils, primarily
soybean and sunflower oil, through the introduction of improved technologies and good agricultural practices.

half an acre as I had realized that adopting farming practices introduced by SAA, such as harvestingand drying on tarpaulin, enabled me to maximize
production from a small field,” Sarah explains “thelong dry spell meant I only harvested 320kg, but
through providing higher quality produce, I generated $81.74, which I put towards starting the construction of my permanent home.”

Sarah Mutesi, a 46-year-old farmer based in the
Kamuli district of Uganda, is a member of the Bulamu Tweweyo Farmers’ group. As part of the VODP,
Sarah and her fellow group members received
training on a range of subjects, including production processes and marketing. The group learnt
about fertilizer application techniques, identifying
and planting seeds, weeding, and postharvest handling methods – from drying techniques to storage
systems.

Sarah Mutesi, a member of Bulamu Teweyo Farmer’s group“SAA helped me overcome my financial problems
and earn a better income, enabling me to build abetter house in which my family and I moved to.
They are well-fed and healthy, and I now understand how the market works and am aware of theneed to produce and supply quality products to themarket. I present my heartfelt thanks to SAA Uganda for helping me grow.”

Reflecting on the level of crop yield following SAA’s
training, Sarah says “In the first season of 2017, fromMarch through July, I planted one acre of soybean.
Due to the long dry spell I only harvested 500kg, but
as I had applied the post-harvest handling practices
recommended by SAA, my grain was clean and freeof debris, which gave my produce the higher priceof $0.68 per kg, compared to what other farmers
were receiving for their soybean: $0.46 per kg.”
The second season was also marred by dry spells,
but climate-smart technologies and effective
post-harvest handling methods introduced by SAA
helped empower farmers to tackle challenges posedby unfavourable weather conditions. “In the second
season, from August through December, I planted
22

Meet Helen Edwe, a 73-year-old woman providing agro-technologies to her
fellow farmers
selling sunflower, maize, and beans with the hopeof financing the procurement of her first maizesheller. At that time, her family was growing and sowere her needs and responsibilities.

Seventy-three-year-old Helen Edwe, a farmer andgrandmother of eight children live in Achan Kumi
village, in Inomo sub-county, Kwania district, Northern Uganda. She is the sole breadwinner for her
family and has taken on the role of providing maizeshelling services in her community.

She bought her first mobile maize sheller at five million Uganda shillings ($1,422) from one of SAA’s machine fabricating partners. She is the first to tell you
how pleasant it is to transition from barely getting
by to being self-sufficient. She says, “I was amazedby how fast it works and the huge qualities itchurns out in a short period,” It shells up to 32
bags of maize per hour, and about 175 bags ina day. “My grandchildren ride it to the farmers
and shell their maize at three thousand Uganda

shillings ($0.85) per bag. Farmers are not charged
for transport” explained Helen. The sheller cleans
the maize as it shells and the demand for its services has spread as far as Inomo, Aduku, Bala, andAkalo sub-counties.
Helen Edwe, the trendsetter of agro technologies services in Kwania district

In 2014, Helen attended a brown-field day that wasorganized by Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA) under their then K+S project in Apac district. The field
day sparked her interest to acquire a mobile maizesheller; she wanted to earn extra income for her
family.
‘Brown-field days’ is SAA’s end-of-season activity
that involves demonstrating different time and labor-saving production, postharvest, and processing
technologies to farmers.

Helen’s first and second mobile maize shellers parked in her
backyard

To work effectively, her grandsons, Peter Elem andArio Desmond do routine maintenance, and repair
it when it breaks down; SAA has equipped themwith the skills to sustain its use.

Like most farmers who attend the brown-field days,
Helen Edwe solely depended on subsistence farming for her family’s survival. This changed the moment she was exposed and made up her mind toacquire a mobile maize sheller. Inspired by what
she had been taught, Helen saved her income from

Satisfied with the income she was generating fromthe mobile sheller, Helen acquired another mobile
maize sheller in 2020 from the same supplier.
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Helen Edwe’s recent addition, the walking tractor with a double-disc plough, planter, and cart

Previously, Helen was earning between one hundred and eighty thousand Uganda shillings ($51)
and three hundred thousand Uganda shillings ($85)
per day from one sheller. With the acquisition of
the second sheller, her daily income has increased
to between four hundred thousand Uganda shillings ($114) and six hundred and fifty Uganda shillings ($185) per day.

She is happy that she has built herself a house andcan fend for her grandchildren. She says, “My grandson recently finished a technical college; he does nothave to go looking for a job because I employ him”.
She employs eight youth in her community including
her grandsons. Helen continued, “Thank you SAA, I
no longer have to live hand-to-mouth, and my community is satisfied with the services I offer.”

This year, Helen with technical guidance from
SAA acquired a walking tractor with a double-discplough, planter, and a cart as auxiliary attachments
using her savings. Helen and her grandsons havebeen trained to operate and maintain the tractor;
they plan to start offering ploughing, planting, andtransportation services.

Plato famously wrote, “Our need will be the real creator.” This statement resonates with Helen Edwe’s
story.

24

Improving nutrition at vulnerable communities in Uganda
put into practice the skills and tools taught to me
because I now know how to combine a variety offoods to intensify nutrients in each meal for a balanced diet.”

According to the global nutrition report 2021,
28.9% of children under 5 years in Uganda arestunted, 3.5% are wasting away and 32.8% of women of reproductive age (15 to 49 years) suffer fromanemia. In 2020, the prevalence of vitamin A deficiencies was 8.9%. There is insufficient data on
Uganda’s progress towards achieving the low birthweight target, and its prevalence.

The nutrient-dense high Iron-rich beans and orange-fleshed sweet potatoesthat farmers in Mubende district grow to curb nutrient deficiencies and improve their livelihood

The high Iron Beans and OSP have helped give many
children a new lease on life and eliminated iron deficiencies among lactating mothers in the community. “It is rare to find underweight or malnourishedchildren in our village; four years ago, it was a different story,” Aisha explained.

Aisha Nakibule, the woman Leader of Nkobazambogo farmers group(left in blue shirt), and SAA President Dr. Kitanaka

Aisha says the beans are tasty and cook faster saving costs on charcoal and firewood. Last season,
her group harvested eleven (11) bags of beans.
“We sold the nine (9) bags and invested the money($416) in our savings initiative. Two (2) bags weredivided among group members for home consumption and fifty (50) kilograms retained for next planting season.”

To combat 1malnutrition and its effects, Sasakawa
Africa Association (SAA) under its pillar of Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture is empowering Smallholder farmers in Uganda to address malnutritionin the short and long term. Nkobazambogo farmers group in Mubende District, is one of five groups
that is championing the cultivation and consumption of the nutrient-dense High Iron-Rich Beans andOrange-Fleshed Sweet Potato (OFSP) promoted by
SAA in collaboration with HarvestPlus to eliminate
Vitamin A and iron deficiency. High Iron Rich beans
and OSP are made accessible to malnourished,
wasting away children and women of reproductive
age. The group leaders, particularly women aretaught on good practices during child-feeding andcaregiving including meal planning, food preparation, processing, and preservation.

Sasakawa Africa Association remains committed
to supporting vulnerable communities throughknowledge and technology transfer. During thepeak of COVID-19 Pandemic, SAA distributed nutrient-dense crops to farmers in the intervention areas
to address hidden hunger.

Aisha Nakibule the woman Leader of Nkobazambogo farmers group expressed gratitude for the
training skills saying the skills helped her, andthe community learn to provide nutritious food fortheir children. “As a mother of five, I appreciate andHigh iron-rich beans and groundnuts source served during Dr. Makoto
Kitanaka’s visit to Nkobazambogo Farmers group in Mubende district

Malnutrition is a deficiency, excesses, or imbalances in a person’s intake of energy and/or nutrients.

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26

Former Country Director, SAA Nigeria, Professor Sani Miko inspects a Maize seed multiplication plot during a visit to Boko community, Garun Mallam LGA Kano State, Nigeria

27

Visit to Entreprise Centre at M’pessoba agricultural college with SAFE program

28

An Extension Agent inspecting an iron-rich demonstration garden in Isingiro District, Uganda

Visit the SAA website at:www.saa-safe.org
Contact us
info@saa-safe.org

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SAA HQ
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E3541 Bamako, Mali

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Kano, Nigeria

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