Agricultural – zootechnical

Karamoja region is characterized by barrenness, unpredictable climate conditions and difficult terrain. Traditionally, the inhabitants are semi-nomad shepherds, but their life is slowly changing towards a more sedentary lifestyle, with a growing interest for agriculture. Like in many other areas of eastern Africa, here too an increase of population and livestock is taking place: subsistence, in fact, is based on shepherding, an activity most of local people practice.

However, climate and terrain conditions, as well as the habits of Karimojong themselves, make the area unfit to face demographic growth, in particular as regards sustainable resources management. Not only does the region suffer of periods of droughts and poverty, but man doesn't care of indigenous vegetation, exploiting without limits and without thinking of consequences, not even for its own children.           

Africa Mission – Cooperation and Development operators   had the chance to see with their own eyes environmental involution: for this reason different project on agro-forestry and zootechnics have been started (through the training and distribution of seeds and agricultural tools, plantation of small new trees for wood production against deforestation, and training on agriculture and poultry farming in a post-emergency phase), assuring the efficiency of the veterinary laboratory, unique in the region, for the improvement of the life conditions of the livestock, first source of income in the population.

Help us make families in Karamoja learn to value their land's resources and productivity, to cultivate its fruits and correctly manage agriculture, drawing on the most sustainable and rational techniques. Help us to ensure a functioning veterinary laboratory for the health of livestock, capital of the population and guaranty of economic subsistence, hygiene and healthy eating for over a million Karimojong shepherds.        

• Increase of the independence, also economic, of women and increase of their self-view

• acquiring of instruments, even theoretical, useful for the starting of agricultural activities

• raised awareness on livestock

- first capital for Karimojong population

- and cause diseases

 

• women's role – start of a slow process of social position acquirement

• increased knowledge of base techniques of cultivation

• increased awareness on communicable diseases in livestock and on the importance of vaccines.