MEET A FARMER WHO HAS BENEFITED FROM INTERNET USE

Rhoda Sempebwa (about 55 years of old) from Nakaseke Uganda tells her story about how her farm harvests have increased over the recent years because of using internet. She reveals that she has used the internet to learn new farming techniques, share her experience and learn from other farmers. She also encourages other farmers to learn internet use by taking part in ICOD's IT project.

SOLAR POWERED INTERNET CENTER LAUNCHED

The organization recently launched Lyantonde Internet Center; a solar powered facility that will help the organization implement ICT projects in Lyantonde district and the other districts in southwestern Uganda. The launch began with a bicycle race where youth competed for a new bicycle and other prizes. 5 community groups are taking part in a program at the Center that provides them with better access to information important in their daily lives (farming, health, education, etc). Selected group members are being trained in computer and Internet use, and will collect information that their communities have requested from the Internet. The Center is also open 7 days a week to the public, providing Internet access.

Above, the RDC Lyantonde, District Chairperson and police chief shown how internet works, the winner of the bicycle lifts up his prize and below and youth who participated in the race

Rural farmers watching a movie on the relevance of computer and internet in agriculture.

A technician installing solar panels at the center

LYANTONDE FARMERS TAKEN FOR A STUDY TOUR

On May 21, 2010, ICOD selected 5 groups’ leaders from 5 local farmer’s groups working with the organization and took them for a study tour in Western Uganda. The purpose of the tour was to link Lyantonde farmers to other farmers who have used of computers and internet to increase agricultural productivity and market their produce. The group visited Bwera Information Center and visited local farmer's groups who shared their experience with farmers from Lyantonde about modern farming methods, group formation, savings and credit and how the use of internet has helped them increase agricultural productivity. Farmer's from Lyantonde were inspired and they shared stories from Bwera with their communities and also formed farmer's groups that are being trained in using the computers and using internet by the organization

Lyantonde farmers taking notes

The group touring of a pineapple farm in Bwera

ICOD's Director sharing his experience

Bwera Information Center Coordinator (second right) explaining how the center trains local farmers.

After training, farmers will be able to use the internet to link their respective groups to markets, get infomation about crop and animal diseases prevention, get weather forecasts, learn and adopt new agricultural production methods, learnt from other farmers and retrieve agricultural related information from the internet, repackage it in the local languages and share it with other farmers.

ICOD Director is a wolrd Curator

ICOD's director took part in BBC's My World Competition and his documentary was one of the best in the world and the best in Africa and Oceania. Follow link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/arts/2010/03/100318_a_lifes_work_myworld.shtml

to watch the documentary online.

NEW ICOD WEBSITE

Log in to the new website

www.icoduganda.org

ICOD EXTENDS SAFE WATER TO RURAL COMMUNITIES

Data from the Directorate of Water Services in Uganda shows that the percentage of access to improved / safe water sources is about 55% at national level, compared to less than 48% in Lyantonde District. Absence of water sources was identified as a key problem and households identified water supply as a priority in Lyantonde.

Time taken by children to fetch water was also identified as a problem because it affects children’s school attendance and performance. Average walking distance to nearest water sources (safe or unsafe) is 4 kilometers and the burden of collecting water is on women and children. ICOD has this year (2009) constructed 10 Ferro-cement water tanks under the Lyantonde District Rural Safe Water Extension Project for the most vulnerable households in Lyantonde rural sub county.

DROUGHT HITS LYANTONDE: ICOD’S AGRICULTURAL PROJECTS AFFECTED.

Lyantonde district is found in South Western Uganda. It is boarded by Rakai district in the south, Masaka district in the east, Kiruhura in the west and Sembabule in the north. It has a total population of 66,039 of whom 32,687 are males and 33,352 are females. Out of the total population 36,050 are children and of these children, 5,571 are orphans.

Lyantonde district lies in the geographical Ankole – Masaka cattle corridor; a dry zone with savannah grass lands, thorny acacia shrubs and many semi arid zones. The district is usually hit by severe dry spell between June and September. The average annual rainfall is about 750mm to 1000mm and the annual maximum temperature is about 29 degrees centigrade. There has been a drastic increase in temperature in the district leading to severe drought, which is attributed to encroachment on fragile ecosystems of wetlands, bush burning and deforestation. Drought has also led to drying up of open water sources and over 70% of boreholes.

The district has two rain seasons; the 1st runs from March to May and the 2nd from August to November. At the beginning of this years 1st planting season, ICOD distributed free planting seeds to vulnerable households, one primary school and three farmers groups to build their capacity to produce enough food for their communities and sustain themselves. However due to severe drought, all beneficiaries lost their crops making them more vulnerable. The most affected are child headed households, orphans families and the primary school supported by the organization. Local government records indicate that over 95% of rural farmers also lost their crops to drought.