The International Farmers’ Dialogue Conference started on 5 May at Rest Gardens Training Center in Bweyogerere in the Eastern part of Kampala. Delegates came from UK, France, Austria, South Africa, Namibia, Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Sudan, and different parts of Uganda.

In his welcome speech Jamil Ssebalu, President of Farmers’ Dialogue Africa, welcomed participants and introduced the theme of the conference Responding to the Challenge of feeding Africa. He explained that the role of the Farmers Dialogue was to get farmers and other stakeholders to work together, discuss issues of concern and find a way forward. He gave a presentation on Africa's potential, concluding that the competences needed can be acquired through training.

Participants later headed out to the lawn where an exhibition of farming products, inputs and implements were exhibited. Some exhibitors who were ready with their stalls such as Ruth Kiwanuka shared with the participants the Joint Energy and Environmental Projects (JEEP Project) referred to as the 1-5 Point programme for Uganda Wood Energy Conservation.

Hajji Hassan Nakabale, who represented the Vice President of Uganda, Professor Gilbert Bukenya, urged participants to encourage their people to stop lamenting for big land and use the available small land while reserving space for food production. He made a commitment to work with the Farmers' Dialogue to have the objectives achieved.

A brief background of Farmers' Dialogue was presented by Jim Wigan. He said farmers were at an important moment in history where the decisions they make will have a profound effect on the world which future generations will inherit. The Farmers' Dialogue has grown out of the commitment of farmers, as seen on the logo: “Where farmers renew their calling to feed the world”.

As a guest of honor, Mr Misika Percy from Namibia and Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) Country Representative in Uganda was extremely happy to have been accorded the honor and privilege to officiate the International Farmers' Dialogue. He said that the theme resonated well with FAO’s global mission of Helping to Build a World without Hunger for the present and Future generations. He was also gratified to observe that farmers with many years of experience from as many countries were represented. It was his sincerest hope that the deliberations during this dialogue will significantly benefit Africa and go a long way in ridding our beloved continent of poverty, hunger and malnutrition.. To make Africa food secure, a lot of strategies need to be implemented. He appealed to participants to learn as much as possible from one another about Uganda.

In the afternoon participants from Austria, Uganda and Southern Sudan shared their experiences about farming, making business, encouraging women and revamping farming in Southern Sudan after five decades of civil war. Three South Africans working together in an NGO called IMOS, empowering poor people to build up sustainable agriculture, following the rules of nature and the motto: living and farming God's way, finalised the day's sharing. 

Download conference invitation here for more background information (PDF).