To combat food insecurity, Mwangwe Rural Development Association (MDRA) in Uganda's Masaka district, has set up a seed bank.
Vincent Musuubire, the MDRA chairperson, said survey in 2006 showed that many households had only one meal a day. "I decided to start a food security project and over 300 households are currently involved. Improved maize seeds were loaned out which increased the harvest to 30
bags per acre from about 10 bags, each weighing 100kg. The first recipients passed over their harvest to other farmers, creating a seed-bank and farmer to farmer seed distribution system," he said.
There are cassava stem cuttings, maize, bean and upland rice seeds in the seed bank.
The organisation also received support from DANIDA, where 75 households trained in vegetable-growing for home consumption, organic manure making and herbicides, soil management, home-made hygiene tools and energy conservation cooking appliances.
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May 17, 2007
Uganda community development association sets up seed bank
Categories food security, seed, Uganda
