Page 200 - AFAP Success Stories 2020

Private-sector-led Science does not lie because such
technologies will provide answers to where
interventions and we have gaps in crop production. As a

increased productivity district we are honoured to partner with
Mefai in training and providing soil-testing
in Uganda services to our smallholder farmers. Thank
you AFAP.

Biso Godfrey, from the agriculture office of
Kyampisi sub-county.

Challenges and how best to use them.

Fertilizer use is relatively low in Uganda approximated For effective knowledge transfer, farmers needed to be
at 1.2kg/ha compared to the Abuja declaration of 50kg/ exposed to the tangible and visible effects of fertilizer use.
ha. Mefai Agro inputs as a company identified this niche
because they realized that the turnover rate of fertilizers
was rather low. The farmers are not keen to use fertilizers Initiative
for three major reasons including; In Partnership with AFAP, Mefai Agro-Inputs Ltd set up

1. Many farmers believe that their soils are fertile and do crop demonstrations at which farmers received on-farm
not need any fertilizers. training. The activity has had positive effects on the sales.
2. There are farmers that have used fertilizers before and Mefai sought AFAP for support to scale up the farmer-
lost crops due to one reason or the other. training activities to cover at least all the regions in which
Mefai operates. Fertilizer use is always efficient where soil
3. There are also farmers who have used fertilizers yet tests are done. Mefai also requested AFAP for support in
realized no benefit. acquiring a soil-testing kit to support farmers embracing
Therefore, for such reasons many farmers avoid the use the efficient use of fertilizers. With the soil-testing
of fertilizers. kit, Mefai tests soils and provides advice to farmers on
appropriate types and quantities of fertilizers to use. This
In that regard, with the zeal to increase her market share guarantees safety of the environment and improved crop
in the fertilizer market, Cate Nakatuga, Mefai’s technical productivity and consequently increases demand and
manager, committed to take on knowledge-transfer sales for fertilizers.
activities to equip farmers with information on fertilizers

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