CEFROHT Establishes Agroecology Communities of Practice to Transform Farming in Uganda

In our continued mission to promote sustainable food systems and protect the right to adequate food and livelihood, CEFROHT (Centre for Food and Adequate Living Rights) has spearheaded the establishment of vibrant Agroecology Communities of Practice (CoPs) across four districts in Uganda—Kiboga, Kyankwanzi, Mukono, and Wakiso. These CoPs are designed as farmer-led, knowledge-driven hubs aimed at enhancing agroecological farming, community learning, entrepreneurship, and rural transformation, particularly for smallholder women and youth farmers.

Through participatory processes and grassroots mobilisation, CEFROHT has worked closely with community leaders, farmer groups, and district/sub-county agricultural technical teams to identify and mentor model farmers—smallholder farmers who already practise agroecology and have the capacity to inspire, teach, and support fellow farmers within their communities. These model farmers act as peer educators and innovation champions, helping to scale agroecological practices through horizontal learning, farmer-to-farmer mentorship, on-farm demonstrations, and collective problem-solving.

Model farmers like Ms Harriet from Seeta Nazingo Parish, Nakisunga Sub-county, Mukono District, have emerged as grassroots leaders, showcasing how agroecology can be both a sustainable and profitable farming model. They exemplify the use of organic inputs, biodiversity enhancement, ecological pest control, and climate-resilient cropping systems—practices that not only restore soil health and ecosystems but also improve household nutrition and incomes.

Working in collaboration with these communities, CEFROHT has developed and is currently piloting two flagship strategic documents designed to ensure the economic viability and environmental sustainability of agroecology:

Production Sustainability Plan for Agroecology

This plan outlines seasonal and long-term approaches to diversified food production, agroecological planning, soil fertility management, use of local seed systems, and on-farm innovation techniques to boost resilience and self-sufficiency.

Marketing Strategy for Agroecological Products and Produce

This strategy provides a roadmap for creating premium and protected markets for agroecological products, value-addition initiatives, market linkages with institutions (schools, hospitals, local markets), certification and branding of safe organic produce, and building strong farmer cooperatives to enhance bargaining power.

The Agroecology CoPs are not isolated initiatives; they are strategically integrated within local government planning and service delivery mechanisms, particularly through the Parish Development Model (PDM). By aligning agroecology with the PDM, the CoPs tap into financial inclusion opportunities such as Parish SACCOs, access to extension services, and community production hubs, enabling agroecological entrepreneurs to transition from subsistence to commercial farming.

This integration also facilitates dialogue and accountability between farmers and local government agricultural departments, ensuring that agroecology is recognised, supported, and scaled as part of district-level agricultural development agendas.

A Supportive Structure for Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Farmer Cooperatives

Each Community of Practice operates as a farmer-owned innovation platform that enhances knowledge exchange through farmer field schools and agroecology learning centres, encourages the formation of agroecology-based farmer cooperatives, provides a support network for agroecology entrepreneurs (especially women and youth), links farmers to premium organic markets through organised marketing channels, advocates for agroecology-friendly laws and policies at sub-county and district levels, and supports ongoing mentorship and technical assistance in agroecological practices.

During various field visits to farms across Mukono and other districts, the CEFROHT team, in partnership with sub-county agricultural technical staff, has documented real-time farmer experiences, success stories, challenges, and emerging innovations. These visits foster stronger collaborations between farmers and duty-bearers, create a feedback loop for improving project design, and build trust among stakeholders in the agroecology value chain.

In one such visit on 22 March 2025, Ms Harriet’s farm in Mukono stood out as a model learning site, showcasing integrated agroecology practices such as intercropping, composting, natural pest repellents, and kitchen gardening. The visit, attended by both CEFROHT and agricultural officials, demonstrated how farmer knowledge, when backed by legal awareness and market access, can become a powerful driver of rural economic transformation.

The Agroecology Community of Practices model by CEFROHT is a transformative and replicable approach to building sustainable food systems rooted in knowledge, law, accountability, entrepreneurship, and community ownership. It demonstrates that agroecology is not just a farming method—it is a livelihood system and a rights-based approach to ensuring food, dignity, and ecological sustainability for Uganda’s rural populations.

CEFROHT is working with smallholder farmers in Kiboga, Kyankwanzi, Mukono, and Wakiso and has established a robust Community of Practice of agroecology entrepreneurs, specifically women and youth farmers. CEFROHT has identified farmers who practise agroecology, and they serve as model farmers in the communities to ensure that others learn and share knowledge on best practices and how farmers can make a living from practising safe and sustainable farming.

Working with the farmers, CEFROHT has developed and is currently piloting a production sustainability plan and a marketing strategy for agroecology products and produce.

The Community of Practice is a supportive, farmer-owned strategic structure that leverages existing entrepreneurial financial opportunities, integration of agroecology into government structures, the Parish Development Model (PDM), and opportunities for creating premium markets and farmer cooperatives to scale agroecology as a viable economic model within the districts.

Important Downloads:

1. Agroecological Movements for Women’s and Youth Empowerment: A Route to Sustainable Land Governance and the Transformation of Africa’s Food Systems
2. The East African Legal, Institutional and Policy Opportunities for Unlocking Agroecology’s Potential in Agri-Food Systems
3. The Market Strategy for the Agroecology Market
4. The Agroecology Production Sustainability Plan for Women and Youths Under CEFROHT Collaborative in Uganda