Soroti Catholic Diocese Integrated Development Organization – SOCADIDO through RISE Adepar Project has commenced an integrated approach of community empowerment initiative aimed at equipping residents of Adepar Parish in Acinga Sub County, Kapelebyong District with practical knowledge and skills of sustaining WASH practices through small scale farming system using micro irrigation system for increased agricultural production throughout the year.
The initiative is focused on strengthening community resilience against changing weather patterns and prolonged dry spells that have continued to affect food production in the area.
Through the project, communities have received irrigation systems which include Money maker starter and money maker max pumps procured from Kick start Uganda who conducted a training for the community on how to effectively operate, maintain and financially sustain irrigation systems to ensure continuous farming regardless of seasonal changes.
WASH practices are so demanding especially when establishing or upgrading the sanitation facilities, acquiring the sanitation utilities like soap requires money. Also poor nutrition contributes to low immunity exposing the community to infections and this weaken the community and not able to sustain the WASH practices.
According to Marion Iyechu Edepu, the RISE Adepar Project Officer, the intervention was introduced after realizing that many households were unable to produce food consistently despite the availability of water sources (shallow wells) within their communities and the water which is wasted from the boreholes.
She explained that a lot of water was being wasted while farmers remained inactive during dry seasons due to lack of irrigation knowledge and equipment. This hindered people to produce throughout the year.
The project has supported 4 farmers who had water sources and four Water User Committees with irrigation system so that they can continue producing whether it is raining or not, these people will be expected to produce vegetables at their respective places” Iyechu said.
The purpose of this initiative is to kick start the production of vegetables at households and around the boreholes to improve on the nutrition among the community and increase household income to be able to acquire the hygiene and sanitation utilities.
The committees are expected to increase their time of being at the borehole as they water their vegetables around the water source and by so doing they oversee the operation and maintenance of the borehole while also mobilizing local farmers to embrace irrigation farming as a reliable means of improving food security and household incomes.
Iyechu says the training also focused on financial sustainability especially on identifying the viable enterprises which can boost the household income base ensure that the WASH practices continue functioning effectively even after the project period ends.
The RISE Adepar Project is expected to boost year-round crop production, improve nutrition and strengthen household economic resilience among beneficiary communities in Kapelebyong District in order to sustain the hygiene and sanitation practices.