A delegation representing the Lives and Livelihoods Fund (LLF) today met with the Minister of Local Government, Hon. Raphael Magyezi, Permanent Secretaries and officials from the Ministry of Local Government and the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, and Board Directors of The Microfinance Support Centre.
The delegation, comprising members from the Islamic Development Bank, the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD), the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Islamic Solidarity Fund for Development (ISFD), and King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief), is on a 5-day working visit to Uganda under the LLF-supported US$ 33 million initiative titled: Local Economic Growth Support (LEGS) Project, co-financed by the Government of Uganda through the Ministry of Local Government.
High on the agenda was a dialogue led by Dr. Issahaq Umar Iddrisu, Manager Islamic Development Bank – Regional Hub Kampala, on emerging economic and environmental challenges, which affect local livelihoods and agricultural yields. The meeting participants also deliberated on the need for improved access to innovative financing models and technological resources for addressing these challenges, and prioritising medium to long-term development goals such as poverty reduction, sustainable development, and climate change management through the LEGS project.
In his special message, His Excellency Mohamed Saif Al Suwaidi, Director General of Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, said that the success of the Local Economic Growth Support (LEGS) Project in Uganda is truly inspiring. This experience is proof of the value of sustainable development and teamwork. “We are thrilled to be able to increase agricultural productivity through our strategic relationship, improve food security, and give local communities the tools they need to prosper, reflecting the vision of the UAE. Being a part of this transformative journey with LLF, whose vision of resilience and self-sustainability is becoming a reality in Uganda, gives us a sense of fulfilment,” he said.
Reflecting on important statistics – according to which more than 80 per cent of Ugandans live in rural areas and more than 70 per cent rely on agriculture for their livelihoods – the presentation exemplified the crucial role played by LLF in addressing some of the complex challenges in the Ugandan context. For example, most of the farmers are smallholders who often do not own their own land and lack access to seeds, water, and technical skills. They also face challenges such as lack of basic infrastructure and access to markets, climate change and gender inequalities. Furthermore, there is a lot of potential for investing in local cooperatives and for adding value to products that are locally available such as maize and rice.
During various interactions, the stakeholders agreed that the IsDB-administered Lives and Livelihoods Fund is strategically poised to facilitate the transformation of Uganda from a low-income country to a competitive upper-middle-income country – a national goal enshrined in the country’s Vision 2040.
Both LLF and the Government of Uganda voiced strong commitment to a new way of working that shifts the focus from meeting short-term needs to sustainably raising the productivity of farmers, growing agrifood systems and value chains, and building a robust foundation to reduce vulnerability associated with market shocks, supply chain disruptions, and climate change. IsDB is one of the key sources of external financial assistance for Uganda, advancing economic resilience with a focus on job creation, climate stewardship, and sustainable infrastructure and development.
ABOUT KEY PROJECT IMPACTS:
– With the distribution of 4.7 million seedlings of high yielding coffee, tea and vanilla seeds, LEGS project is transforming subsistence farms into viable commercial operations. Incomes from these high value cash crops is helping improve the food security and welfare of many households and agribusinesses along their value chains.
– Community-based Artificial Insemination (AI) services, including the procurement of an initial stock of 8,000 litres of liquid nitrogen and 4,000 straws of assorted semen, is boosting Uganda’s capacity to provide genetic improvement services to local cattle farmers. About 300 farmers are now able to enhance the genetic and growth potential of their herds for increased milk and meat production.
– The acquisition of 3,919 kgs of farm inputs including crop seeds, fish feeds, and fertilizers, through Shariah-compliant microfinance facility has enabled farmers to invest in on- and off-farm enterprises, thus ensuring agricultural productivity and food security.
– Two milk collection and cooling centres are helping farmers increase shelf life of their milk, thus facilitating access to premium markets through group marketing. The centres will enable the storage and marketing of about 40,000 litres of milk daily.
– Completion of two multi-purpose bulking centres and storage facilities. Through the storage facilities, small holder farmers can save about 40% in post-harvest loses that comes with poor storage and are able to access formal marketing and add value to their products for increased income.
– Construction of 11 Community Access roads, across 10 districts totalling 157 kilometres to link production areas to markets.
– 11 off-farm post-harvest processing units for coffee, oilseed and rice are in progress on 11 project sites. The processing units will add value to the farm primary products, thereby attracting higher prices and incomes for farmers.
– Construction of three livestock markets and eight market sheds. This will enable proper marketing of farm produce and livestock in a safe, clean, and client-centered environment. Consequently, more buyers will be attracted and overall traded boosted, which in turn will drive increased production for food and income security.
– Construction of distribution network and pipeline for 10 boreholes, equipped with solar panels.
ABOUT THE LIVES AND LIVELIHOODS FUND
The Lives and Livelihoods Fund (LLF) is a US$ 2.5 billion development initiative launched in 2016 and funded by an unprecedented global coalition including the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD), the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), the Islamic Solidarity Fund for Development (ISFD), the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSRelief), and the Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD). As the largest development initiative in the Middle East, its goal is to lift the poorest out of poverty across 33 IsDB member countries by addressing nine Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through projects in health, agriculture, and basic infrastructure.
ABOUT THE DONORS
The Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) is a leading national development-financing institution. It was established in 1971 by Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the country’s founding father, who stressed the importance of enabling developing countries to achieve their development goals. ADFD provides concessional loans for infrastructure development and manages government grants for strategic projects for partner countries to bolster their economy. It also invests in diversified financial portfolios in partner countries, in addition to making investments in the UAE to support the national economy and drive forward its sustainability agenda. ADFD leverages its strategic relations with more than 100 countries to support the UAE’s private sector, facilitate exports, promote Emirati products around the globe and create investment opportunities for partner nations.
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation focuses on areas of greatest need across the world, offering the opportunity to dramatically improve the quality of life for billions of people. It builds partnerships that bring together resources, expertise, and vision, and works with the best organizations around the globe to identify issues, find answers, and drive change.
The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) is a multilateral development bank (MDB) working to improve the lives of those we serve by promoting social and economic development in member countries and Muslim communities worldwide, delivering impact at scale.
The Islamic Solidarity Fund for Development (ISFD) is dedicated to reducing poverty in its member countries by promoting pro-poor growth, emphasizing human development (especially improvements in healthcare and education), and providing financial support to enhance the productive capacity and sustainable means of income for the poor. This includes creating employment opportunities, providing market outlets especially for the rural poor, and improving basic rural and pre-urban infrastructure.
The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSRelief) is dedicated to coordinating and providing international relief to crisis-affected communities, alleviating suffering, and providing the essentials to allow people everywhere to live a safe and decent life. The Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) is a public institution committed, on behalf of the state of Qatar, to implementing foreign aid projects. Since 2012, QFFD has been providing aid to many countries in accordance with international cooperation goals of the Qatar National Vision 2030, and in line with best practices and standards. QFFD’s main goal is to achieve inclusive and sustainable
