Uganda: Skilling Youth and Enhancing the capacity of extension staff of GCDFCS in areas of ‘Entrepreneurship, Technology Transfer and Gender in the Dairy Value Chain.’

The Gulu community dairy Farmers Cooperative Society (GCDFCS) is the business arm of Gulu Women Dairy Farmers Association, an organisation that was formed in 1987 with a view to financially and socially empower women in Northern Uganda’s rural communities, especially those that were affected by civil insurgency. The TMT will discuss and analyse dairy value chain in Northern Uganda: the actors and their role, capacity and capability (strengths and weaknesses) of the service providers, government policies, constraints and opportunities, how to upgrade GCDFCS positioning in the market generally, and strengthening the entrepreneurial and managerial skills of women and youth who particularly play a vital role in feeding, milking, transporting and marketing of milk. Value addition will also be discussed in the TMT as it is a very important income enhancer to the farmers and the cooperative as well.

Expected results:

Key participants of the TMT will be extension staff of GCDFCS, youth and youth leaders under GCDFCS. These are the people who interact with the farmers on a regular basis and, at the end of the TMT, will be better equipped to handle the problems within the dairy chain. Youth participation will help them understand opportunities along the value chain and ensure continuity of the various activities along the milk flow chain form farmer to final consumer.