RIC-NET DISCUSSION WITH PLANT CLINIC DOCTORS AND DISTRICT INFORMATION OFFICERS

Rwenzori Information Centers Network held an inception  and mapping of information needs meeting for the Access to and use of information project phase 11 on Friday 20^th 2014 at St.Joseph’s inn virika. 

The one day meeting involved regional participants ranging from the District information officers, District Agricultural officers, Local Government, staff of Information centers, staff of RIC-NET and plant Clinic Doctors. 

While introducing the project, The Executive Director RIC-NET, Mr. Murugahara John Silco noted that the Access to information project is a short term project aimed at improving decision making about the allocation of Resources for poverty Eradication in the Rwenzori Region, through information documentation, repackaging, dissemination and use in decision making. 

The project targets 200 farmer households in the region and Through mapping of the different agricultural stakeholders, a data base will be developed with details of the Producers, Buyers, input suppliers, plant Doctors and  organizations in related  operating  outside Rwenzori Region.

The Executive Director also appreciated Development Research and training (DRT) a research Bas

ed NGO in Kampala that is technically supporting the project implementation with funding from Development Initiatives (DI), a UK based charity.
 

Project activities.

• Mapping exercises of information needs for different agricultural enterprises or value chain in the region.
• Design and deploy Agriculture information sharing platform for famers, extension workers, buyers and input suppliers- Agribridge.info
• Disseminate farmer driven information on crop pests and diseases management through holding “Plant clinic”.
• Hold symposium and think-tanks for linking Research organisation/ civil servants to farmer groups and community.
• Advertise existing sms-web based platform to access and share information among citizens and civil servants i.e. M-trac, Edu-trac, U-report and Trac fm
• Repackage and disseminate information on government budget resource   allocation to enable the citizens engage with their leaders.
• Carry out a video documentary on access to information impact to poverty alleviation and civic engagement to better service delivery

 By the time the meeting ended the participants had clearly defined their roles in the project.

District Agricultural officers & plant Doctors

·      Coordinating and authenticating the information from plant clinics

·       Monitoring performance of the plant clinics

·       Early warnings of the crop pests and diseases

·        Contributing to the plant diseases and pests

·       Training in partnership with  plant wise

·       Coordination and extension services (  plant Doctor feeds into the  work of the Agricultural officer)
·       Enterprise selection the information from the plant Doctors informing the kind of enterprise to be selectedby the Farmers

Closing Remarks

While giving his closing remarks, the District  Agricultural officer kasese noted that one of the biggest factors of development is social capital which is built on   information sharing, "if we can't share information we cant go anywhere" 

 He noted that Every developed country started with agriculture giving an example of Ireland that started with irish potatoes growing

He finally  asked the participants to watch out for the   the different plant diseases & pests especially  in maize as it had been announced which was threatening farmers in the region .

He also appreciated RIC-NET for  bringing  the stakeholders to jointly plan for better resource allocation through a campaign of sourcing and diseminating reliable information.