Chiranjibi Rijal: Agriculture Seed and Tools through a voucher

Tuesday, June 23, 2020

Agriculture Seed and Tools through a voucher - Market Fair

Agriculture seed and tools through voucher modality organized a market fair in West Nile in Uganda. Uganda Red Cross Society (URCS) supported 1300 Households with a population of 6500 people in Bidibidi and Palorinya refugee settlements, including host communities to manage the access of agriculture seeds for food security and livelihoods. A voucher was worth 98,500 UGX ($27), it was included commodities cereal crops and value vouchers allowed to access different seeds and tools for their own crop production. As a long term perspective, targeted beneficiaries could grow their one food in their garden becoming more resilient for food security.

In Uganda, farmers are using three cropping seasons, which URCS is giving of time of 2^nd Season (July-September) planting seeds with this voucher modality. Due to the COVID-19, not as usual operations in refugee settlements, the Government of Uganda’s directives SOP focusing on all the readiness of CIVID-19 risk communication included with this operation. Since targeted 1300 households could not gather in one place, URCS was considered an innovative approach for COVID adaptation before the seed vouchers redeem in the market for.

URCS adopted, Community Engagement and Accountability (CEA) approaches for all the process of choosing crops, varieties and community sensitization through the mobilization of Red Cross volunteers in the respective groups. Refugees and host communities used this project supported voucher by the local vendors in the market fair to get their choice to buy the seeds, and it gave them a chance to access a variety of seeds at their convenience and respecting beneficiaries accountability, dignity by promoting CEA approaches.