Members of Parliament review the NAADS Programme
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| Chairman Sessional Committee on Agriculture meets local leadership |
In November 2004, a Team of independent evaluators was commissioned to undertake a comprehensive Medium Term Evaluation of the NAADS programme. In addition, an Internal evaluation of NAADS is concurrently being undertaken and as part of the process, Members of Parliament (MPs) –Sessional Committee on Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries visited Luwero and Mukono, Districts on the 25th February 2005. The visit to Luwero and Mukono follows an earlier field trip by members of Parliament to Tororo, Soroti and Lira District. The overall objective of the visit was to assess the NAADS intermediate outcomes and impact. The Chairman NAADS Board, officials from NAADS Secretariat and National Core Team members accompanied the honorable members.
NAADS programme in Mukono is exemplary and encouraging for both the leaders and the farmers. However, matching grant contributions from the farmers was a big challenge. This is mainly because the farmers are still poor and because of the political pronouncements on graduated tax, the amount of local revenues collected at the Sub-county level is dwindling. The Sub-county leaders are increasingly facing problems in raising funds to co-fund government programmes.
Procurement and service provision to the farmers is going on well and vigilant farmers are already accessing the services. For instance in Butuntumula Sub county Luwero District, Piggery Technology Development sites (TDS) and multiplication site, 105 piglets had been sold to the farmer groups at subsidized costs. The changes NAADS programme faces in Luwero are varied: the political leaders in Luwero District strongly believe that the NAADS programme should go beyond advisory to giving support to the farmers in form of funding, small grants and handouts in order to apply the knowledge and skills acquired. Yet this is not in line with the NAADS programme design. This is made worse with the absence of other PMA components.
Detail of the honorable members visit can be seen by clicking any of the two links: Members of Parliament visit to Tororo, Soroti and Lira and MPs' visit to Mukono and Luwero.
