MVIWATA held a one-week campaign to mobilize, sensitize and strengthen smallholder farmers’ groups and members of MVIWATA in two Districts of Kyerwa and Bukoba in Kagera Region. The team included a Member of Board of Directors Mr Charles Ndugulile, Thomas Laiser a Policy and Advocacy Officer and Grace Bitegeko a member of the steering committee of MVIWATA middle level network in Kagera region. Apart from a visit made in these two Districts the team also met with MVIWATA members in Muleba District in MVIWATA local networks of Buleza and Gwanseli Wards.
The main goal of this campaign was to sensitize and strengthen members of MVIWATA alongside discussions about the progress of MVIWATA. The local network leaders and promoters played a vital role in mobilizing members who participated in these public meetings.
The delegation from MVIWATA Headquarters also had an opportunity to participate a constitutional meeting of the steering committee, Kagera middle level network held at Califonia Conference hall in Muleba town.
Three public sensitization meetings were conducted in two days in Kwenda ward and Kaisho ward in Kyerwa District where 78 members of MVIWATA attended. In Bukoba District a sensitization meeting was held at Rubale ward where by 69 members of MVIWATA attended.
The sensitization aimed to build a common understanding among smallholder farmers on the need to mobilize themselves in groups and be members of MVIWATA to easily defend and advocate smallholder farmers’ interests with a common voice. The focus of discussion in defending smallholder farmers’ interests was given with reference to the five strategic goals of MVIWATA that runs from 2017-2021.
Different fliers of MVIWATA were given to smallholder farmers who participated in meetings and also to local government officials as a reference to the discussions and sensitization meetings made together.
Conclusively, the sensitization meetings ended well with a number of smallholder farmers having joined MVIWATA to join hands in advocating smallholder farmers’ interests against exploitative systems and policies that deprive smallholder farmers’ benefit to the fruit of their work. A resolution also was made for leaders in Regional and District level to strengthen MVIWATA members and be active in participating in meetings and activities conducted by local network groups.
END
