The Fresh Fruit Nexus: Sustainable Livelihoods for Refugee and Host Farmers in Northern Uganda

The project was funded by Danida Market Development Partnerships (DMPD) and DanChurchAid Uganda managed the project that also comprised Lishe, a Ugandan exporter of organic fruits and vegetables, and Nordic Fruit, a Danish company trading in fruit and vegetables.

The project was implemented in West Nile, which is ranked as Uganda’s second poorest region, it is the region most affected by climate change, and has experienced a large influx of refugees from South Sudan and DR Congo since 2016.

The project’s aim was to contribute to a prosperous, peaceful, and ‘greener’ Uganda, where women, men, and youth can fulfill their aspirations and live a life in dignity.

In addition to growing organic fruit and vegetables 700 farmers from the communities were targeted through other initiatives – they were:

• trained in agroecology and enhanced knowledge of agroforestry practices.
• engaged in Village Savings and Loans Associations.
• trained in financial literacy, business skills, gender, and human rights.

Additional initiatives

With additional funding to the project from the Det Nytter Foundation and others, DanChurchAid Uganda, in partnership with the JP Management Foundation, established the Orange Flesh Sweet Potato micro bakery training and business incubation center in Arua district, where over 200 youth, women, and urban refugees were trained in the use of Orange Flesh Sweet Potatoes (flour) as value addition in their baking activities.

In partnership with the World Resource Institute (WRI) and Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), farmers were trained in the use of renewable energy irrigation systems that boost productivity and allows the farmers to grow more crops for longer – this was especially important during the dry season.

The video features key results from the Fresh Fruit Nexus Project, click on the link below for more information on the project’s achievements and also listen in to what some of the beneficiaries in this activity have to say about the Project’s impact on their lives.