Care – Baseline Evaluation for the Farmer Field Business School Scaling Up
Introduction
Care’s initiative of Farmer Field Business Schools (FFBS) aims at skilling farmers to improve yields and incomes through enhanced farming and business practices. For this, Care International in Uganda contracted FRIENDS Consult to conduct a baseline study in the districts of Kyenjojo and Kyegegwa. The baseline report established the current state of the project indicators in the target communities, providing reference data for future assessments
Objective of the FFBS project
FFBS initiative, among other objectives, intends to help in accelerating achievement of the following:
- Working with the farmer-groups, experts/advisors and local livestock research centres, National Animal Genetic Resources Centre and Data Bank (NAGRIC-DB) to increase access to beneficial information on the livestock
- Connection to global markets through linkage initiatives and quality control.
- Working with Government to adopt the FFBS models, thereby addressing gaps in policy implementation
Project execution, and areas of coverage
The assignment was implemented through carefully planned quantitative and qualitative research, triangulated with key informant interviews and a well-focused review of secondary data. Scripting and transmission of the quantitative tool was done using Kobo Toolbox mobile data collection platform. Rigor of data analysis produced requisite baseline information for the project, including aspects of:
- Gender equity and women participation in leadership
- National and regional marketing
- Yields and productivity
- Financial literacy levels and need
- Household income levels and patterns
- Food scarcity and food security coping mechanisms
- Post-harvest wastage and prevention
- Access to suitable, affordable finance
- Value addition to agricultural produce
- Climate change prevention and coping mechanisms
- Access to global markets
- Government embraces of FFBS models.
How will the assignment?
Output of the FCL work will help Care and its partners to track FFBS effectiveness in enhancing the development aspects listed above.
Keren Obara – Project Officer FCL