Inclusive Livestock Development for Smallholder Farmers

The Inclusive Livestock Development for Smallholder Farmers (INCLUDE) project will work with 75,000 smallholder farmers to support them in building resilient livelihoods and improving their livestock productivity and production. Additionally, the farmers will be trained on land and soil management practices, household nutrition and facilitated to access affordable finances and markets. Together with other stakeholders, the project seeks to increase incomes for the smallholder farmers through inclusive, integrated livestock-based farming systems.

Smallholder farmers encounter numerous challenges, primarily operating in a low-input, low-output farming system characterised by limited land, poor soil quality, and land degradation. Limited access to markets, climate change and its vulnerabilities, and weak representation in policymaking have also exacerbated the difficulties farmers face.

Underfunding has impacted livestock systems, resulting in low-quality forage and feed, poor livestock management practices, and inadequate veterinary and extension services. This has hindered farmers’ access to affordable finance and business development services. Furthermore, existing support frameworks tend to be exclusive, often excluding women, youth, and other vulnerable groups. Malnutrition among children is rising in Uganda, and per capita milk consumption remains low—an especially difficult balance as farmers grapple with accessing stable milk markets.

Through the INCLUDE project, we will work with smallholder farmers to build sustainable livelihoods, enhance farmer participation and on-farm decision-making. With improved management practices across 37,600 acres of land, the farmers should be able to provide milk to 300,000 school children through the School Milk Programme.

The five-year INCLUDE project (2024 - 2029) is funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (EKN) and will be implemented across 21 districts in the Rwenzori, Greater Ankole, Kigezi, and Busoga sub-regions. The following strategies will be adopted towards achieving the project’s ambition:

• Promote sustainable integrated farming that combines crops and diverse livestock, focusing on community-centred approaches.

• To boost resilience, build smallholder farmers’ skills in soil fertility, forage, animal health, and manure use.

• Support climate-smart and resource-efficient farming techniques suitable for smallholders that align with sustainable development.

• Strengthen farmers’ cooperatives and groups for better bargaining, services, and knowledge exchange.

• Empower youth-led service providers to deliver inputs, veterinary services, and market access, encouraging entrepreneurship.

• Improve smallholders’ access to financial services like SACCOs, microfinance, and result-based financing.

• Increase local milk supply to promote child nutrition and support the local economy.

• Engage stakeholders to co-finance and sustain school milk programs.

• Develop local dairy value chains linked to larger markets for inclusive growth.

Additionally, a participatory Integrated Planning (PIP) will enable smallholder farmers to envision their household futures, establish priorities, and plan for change. A Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) sensitive approach will ensure the active involvement of women, youth, and people who have been marginalised groups in planning, implementation, and leadership. Finally, the Agency Buffer Connectivity and Diversity (ABCD) approach to resilience will guide capacity development within the project.