On the 15th of August 2023, EADEN conducted an inception meeting at the premises of Nawaningi Integrated Development Farmers’ Cooperative Society Limited (NIDFACO), located in Nawaningi Sub-County, Iganga District.

Background: NIDFACO is a registered Primary Cooperative Society with the registration number P.9531/RCS. EADEN entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Farmers Overseas Action Group (FOAG), an independent charity based in Worcestershire, United Kingdom. FOAG’s mission is to support socio-economic development in rural communities in Uganda. The agreement was motivated by NIDFACO’s need for capital to purchase farmers’ produce from its members.

Participants: Key participants in the meeting included NIDFACO cooperative members, district and sub-county technical leaders (District Production Officer, Commercial Officer, District Agricultural Officer, and Agricultural Extension Officer), as well as senior management representatives from EADEN’s Head Office in Tororo.

Objectives: The primary objectives of the meeting were to acknowledge the receipt of 25,330,000 Ugandan Shillings by the cooperative members in the presence of district stakeholders and to ensure that cooperative members fully understood the terms and conditions outlined in the agreement between EADEN and NIDFACO. Additionally, the meeting aimed to outline the support that cooperative members would receive, including assistance with financial record-keeping and documentation, training on post-harvest handling of grains (P.H.H), and access to necessary equipment for their agricultural activities.

This initiative is designed to address the financial constraints faced by NIDFACO and its members, enabling them to efficiently purchase and manage farmers’ produce. With the support of EADEN and FOAG, NIDFACO is expected to play a vital role in the innovative WASTE LESS Project, contributing to the socio-economic development of Uganda’s rural communities.