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+256 772 677262
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info@uospa.org
Opportunities
Upward increasing market trend for Vegetable Oils: there is rising global demand for vegetable oils (Oils and Fats International, 2010).
The opportunities for vegetable oil development are particularly strong in Uganda, since about half of the domestic market is supplied by imports and could be replaced by national production. Domestic demand is growing at an average rate of around 9% per annum (3% due to population growth and the remaining 6% attributable to increasing incomes). Kenya and Rwanda imported over 90% of their vegetable oil requirements in 2010, Tanzania imported 76% while South Sudan imported 54% (Oils and Fats International, 2010). Thus, the regional and national markets are expected to be able to absorb all of the vegetable oil produced by Uganda without leading to significant price weakening even in the face of growing production (Uganda, 34 million, East Africa, 135million and COMESA, 500million). Large gap in per capita consumption-increasing demand: Compared to a global average consumption of oils and fats of 22.4kg/year/person, Uganda is at 7.2 kg/year/person in 2008, up from 3.9 kg/year/person in 2000. Uganda continues to import about 60-70% of its edible oil and soap manufacturing needs, as do most of the neighboring countries in East Africa (VODP, 2010)
our structureOur Vision
Is to make Uganda self-reliance in edible vegetable production and consumption.
Our Goal
Is to increasing the smallholder members’ income, food and nutrition security
Our Objectives
To organise farmers into Higher Level Farmer Organization (HLFOs) and both miller and Farmer members into ‘bankable’ institutions
Our Achievements Recorded
During the period from October 1995 to date.
with financial support from ACDI/VOCA
Uganda Oil Seed Producers and Processors Association (UOSPA) with financial support from various development partners successfully implemented projects from 1996 uptodate
1996-2005 Project 2005 with financial support from ACDI/VOCA
carried out Institutional Development and strengthening through mobilization and sensitization of farmers to form groups around oilseed crop production, processing and marketing. Implementation of extension outreach on oilseed crop agronomy, postharvest handling and marketing, introduction and demonstration of oilseed crop improved technologies in groups, and infrastructure improvement (rehabilitation of community feeder roads to enhance marketing) in Lango sub-region . Achievement recorded • Formed 947 farmer groups to produce sunflower and soyabeans • Trained 27,000 farmers in oilseed crop agronomy, post-harvest and marketing • Improved yields from 150kg per acre in 1995 to 400kg per acres by 1999 • Increased annual sunflower production from 5,000mt in 1995 to 45,000mt in 2006
2000-2006 financial support from VODP- IFAD funded vegetable oils project
Implemented training of oilseed crop farming groups/households in oilseed crop value addition through distribution of mechanical ram presses to benefiting groups. This was a strategy to promote oilseed crop production in community and newly formed groups as means to increase household oilseed processing and consumption. Farmer groups were mobilized and trained on improved planting seed multiplication and distribution. This promotional activity was to flash out local sunflower crop varieties produced by farmer in the project area. Achievement recorded • Contributed to increase per capita consumption of vegetable oilseed from 2.7kg in 2000 to 4.6kg by 2006 • 27,000 farmers adopted production of improved sunflower variety, and local varieties like shiny black and white was flashed out of production • Produced 120mt of improved planting seeds that was distributed to farmers • Attracted investment in oilseed processing from one oil mill to 29 oil mills by 2006
2006-2007 Financial support from Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO)
Implemented farmer group trainings on household value addition using motorized expellers, carried out mobilization of farmers to implement group revolving funds program through oilseed production and marketing, Trained the benefiting farmers to increase their oilseed crop productivity through; integration of apiary and sunflower production through training in bee keeping and distribution of 175 modern bee hive to three piloting groups in Apac, Kumi and Pader. Achievement recorded • Diversification of benefiting households enterprise; sunflower crop, livestock rearing, bee keeping • Increased income of benefiting household from Ushs150,000 from an acre to 300,000shs per acres • Increased household sunflower yield from 500kg/acre to 600kg per acre
2007-2010 Financial support from Agriterra- Netherlands Farmer Organization
Carried out the oilseed sub-sector scoping mission to establish gaps and opportunities in the sector and develop strategy for the sector development code named ‘weaving the oilseed crop’.Implemented HIV/AIDS and Gender mainstreaming; staff capacity building in HIV/AIDS and Gender mainstreaming in development projects, HIV/AIDS and Gender workplace policy development and piloted development of 150 UOSPA groups into business clusters. Achievement recorded • Competence built for Twenty five UOSPA staff and Nine Board Directors on HIV/AIDS internal and external mainstreaming in development project • Strong linkages were built between UOSPA and HIV/AIDS organization working within the UOSPA project areas • 4,500 farmers trained in nutrition and HIV/AIDS basic knowledge • HIV workplace policy for UOSPA developed and is operational
2011-2013/2013-2016, with financial support from aBi-trust
UOSPA implemented two consecutive projects; ‘Enhancing oils seed production and productivity of 4,500 farmers in 16 districts of Eastern and Northern region of Uganda’ and ‘Hosting of Oilseed Centre of Excellence project’ respectively: 150 farmer groups were trained in skills and knowledge in sunflower hybrid seed multiplication techniques and contracting them to multiply planting sunflower seeds. This resulted into production of 300 tons of sunflower seeds in 2017 from 5 tons in year 2000, increasing accessibility of farmers to quality planting seeds at affordable price and reducing importation of hybrid seeds from outside countries from 95% in 2007 to 70% in year 2016. Carried out training on farm demonstration of new technologies. Implementation of oilseed crops quality assurance and standards awareness activity both at group and mill level. Achievement recorded • Established quality assurance mini-Laboratory in Lira town to improve quality of sunflower seed supplied to the market – used the facility to train 4,500 farmers in aflatoxin testing and awareness • Trained 3,970 farmers in Sanitary & phytosanitary aspects, food quality and safety, post- harvest handling and marketing • Trained 60 farmer groups in seed multiplication techniques and multiplied 24mt of Sesun 1H & 2H hybrid sunflower seed- Uganda Variety being bred by NASARRI • Facilitated certification of two oil millers • Reduce post harvest losses at mill from 8% to 5% and at farm from 25% to 15%