Food Security and Nutrition Training

An important part of our Economic Development program in Uganda is the training that we offer our partner co-ops and community groups. Even for famers who have been growing crops for years, it can be easy to get stuck in a rut (perhaps literally!) and fall behind on the latest practices and technologies. So earlier this month, Give Us Wings partnered with a local agricultural firm to offer a day-long session for members of the Osia Farmers Cooperative and the Nyangole Multipurpose Cooperative. The training aimed to empower farmers with knowledge and skills to improve their food security, nutrition, and livelihoods.

First, co-op members learned about the importance of dietary diversity… consuming a variety of fruits and vegetables to ensure a healthy diet. Tips were given on how to cultivate a kitchen garden that contains a wide variety of plants and how to store harvested food for future consumption. They were reminded of the importance of maintaining a healthy diet throughout the year, not just at harvest times. Proper nutrition cuts down on health care costs, reduces school absenteeism, and keeps a family productive in its income-generating enterprises.

Members were then led in a discussion of food scarcity and its causes. They identified challenges they face and discussed ways to mitigate them. Advice was given on how to find higher quality seeds, fertilizers, and tools that will increase crop yield and how to diversify food sources. And co-op members pledged to support each other in these initiatives so that all families could see an increase in their food quality and household income. A great example of how the co-op system is supposed to work!

Moving forward, Give Us Wings staff will regularly monitor these cooperatives to assess their level of food security, nutritional diversity, implementation of the training they received, and overall well-being. This one-day activity was a small but important part in Give Us Wings’ larger mission to expand the economic independence of our partners in Uganda, raising incomes and growing local economies. Thank you for supporting our work!