How agroecological centres of Excellence are enabling adoption of climate smart practices

In the rural communities, small holder farmers are transforming their food systems. They are adopting better farming practices to produce food for both their homes and income.

At the centre of this transformation are Agroecology Centres of Excellence (ACCEs), they are community-led learning centres that go far beyond being the usual Farmer Field Schools (FFS). 

ACCEs are promoting knowledge and training while supporting other farmer groups in adopting climate smart, resilient and sustainable practices in their gardens. 

Baradong ACCE, located in Apac District is one of the learning centers and it coordinates and trains 17 other FFS, making it a community centre for agroecological learning and training in good agronomic and sustainable practices.

Founded in 2021, the group consists of 25 dedicated who mobilize and communicate through church announcements, and local markets.

In a generous gesture, Nelson Otema offered close to one acre of his land to Baradong ACCE. “I wanted this land developed so that other people in this community can learn from here. We hope that what the members from other FFSs learn here, will be replicated in their respective schools and in their own gardens.” Nelson believes in collective progress over individual gain. 

This ACCE is strategically located in a valley near a wetland, which offers the group reliable access to water for irrigation and other farming activities.

The learning site is a demonstration centre that has been carefully demarcated to allow each of the 17 FFS a designated plot to plant and manage.

There are also nursery beds of sukuma wiki, white eggplant, cabbage, nakati, green pepper, and tomatoes, all of which are ready for multiplication in the small plots under the guidance of Baradong ACCE.

These vegetables are not just for only food, they support the group to generate income. “All these vegetables have a ready market in Lira City and Apac town,” Nelson notes.

In addition to growing crops, the group has also ventured into fish farming. With three fishponds already established, they plan to use their crops as fish feeds – a practice they learned during agroecological training.

‘’We have done fish farming before, we used to buy commercial feeds which are very expensive. But from the training we got, we will start using organic feeds from vegetables and chicken feeds,’’ He adds.

The groups have equally moved away from using industrial pesticides. Upon learning how to make organic pesticides from natural products – including garlic, neem tree, red pepper, and aloe vera for pest control, and cow dung for fertiliser, farmers are now moving on from chemical-dependent practices.

Transparency and accountability are equally prioritized with every activity recorded in a registration book to track participation of group members. This ensures that all 25 group members benefit from the centre’s output fairly.

Community mobilization is done through church announcements, ensuring everyone is included, regardless of literacy or access to digital tools.

Agroecology thriving in Adjumani District

In Ofua sub-county, Adjumani District, the Gulimori FFS Group, with 30 members is also reaping the fruits of agroecological farming.

Using half an acre of land donated by a group member, Gulimori FFS group has adopted climate-smart agriculture practices. 

They grow varieties of tomatoes, cabbage, sukuma, green pepper, and soybeans — all sourced from ESAFF.

“We grow mostly local seeds. Hybrid seeds are tricky, sometimes they don’t germinate or fail to respond to our weather. But local seeds are more resistant, easier to manage, and well-suited to our environment,” one member shared.

After harvesting and selling, profits are kept with the treasurer and later shared among members, based on each individual’s contribution to the group’s fieldwork. This strengthens transparency but also rewards dedication and teamwork.

This transformation has been made possible through the support of ESAFF Uganda, under the CCiWW project, which provided the initial seeds and training.

About the project

With funding from SIDA, Oxfam in partnership with Participatory Ecological Land Use Management (PELUM) Uganda, Eastern and Southern Africa Small-scale Farmers’ Forum (ESAFF), and Community Integrated Development Initiatives (CIDI), is implementing a four-year project in Adjumani, Apac, Amuria, and Soroti districts, targeting rural women and their communities, particularly smallholder food producers, climate change activists, land rights advocates, and local government technical teams and land boards agents of change in building a fair, green, equal, and safe world.