A one year USAID funded project in collaboration with IFPRI/HarvestPlus, aimed at commercialisation of High Iron beans through working with seed companies to produce and market iron bean seed through their input dealer networks.
The objectives for the project were

1. To increase access to and production of biofortified bean seed. The project enhanced skills of Producer Marketing Groups (PMGs) to produce certified biofortified Iron rich Bean seeds at their farm managed locations in districts of Kiboga, Mubende, Mityana, Ssembabule, Lyantonde, Lwengo , Rakai, Masaka, Kalungu and Bukomansimbi
2. Increase Farmer capacity in iron bean production and marketing.
   PMGs were trained in seed production and marketing. Training entailed Good Agronomic Practices, post harvest management and linkage to
   input dealers.100 demonstrations gardens were established
3. Promotion of biofortified Iron beans in communities through use of field days and radio spot messages.
   This aimed at increasing amount of biofortified iron beans sold per households and therefore increasing household incomes

The main objective of CultiAF-2 is to improve food,nutrition security and incomes through development of precooked bean products.
The aim is to increase bean consumption, improve diets, reduce time spent on cooking, and create a more lucrative market for bean farmers

• Increased availability of bean varieties with high
  nutritional content (protein, iron, and zinc) suitable for
  precooking
• Increased bean production at the household level,supported by increased market demand
• Job creation in new agro-enterprises at various stages of the value chain (production, grading, bulking, packaging, transportation, and marketing), especially for women and youth
• Increased incomes at household level from the sale of beans
• Greater consumption of beans by households in rural,urban, and peri urban areas
• Less wood used in cooking beans and less time spent by women collecting it
• Empowerment of various social groups (women, men,and youth) engaged in adding value to beans

The goal of DREAMS is to reduce the incidence of new HIV cases in girls and young women 15-24 by bringing together evidence–based approaches that address the structural drivers that increase girls’ and young women’s HIV risk, including poverty, gender inequality, sexual violence and lack of education.
Implemented under support of RHSP, CEDO offered Socio-economic strengthening approaches to adolescent girl girls through agriculture and farming in 4 districts of Gomba, Sembabule, Rakai and Bukomansimbi.
Adolescent Girls Young Women (AGYWs) were supported to learn and implement agriculture-based and animal husbandry Income Generating Activities (IGAs) of their choice as guided by RHSP and linked to other core elements of the DREAMS program including HIV prevention education, HIV testing services, access to appropriate contraceptive methods, screening for sexually transmitted infections and treatment, post-violence care, parenting and caregiver programs and social protection approaches.

Activities implemented:

• Sensitization of AGYWs on the DREAMS project
• Guiding beneficiaries in process of identifying and selecting agriculture
  income generation activities
• Training AGYWs on post harvest handling of beans and maize IGAs
  Training AGYWs in livestock management of piggery, poultry
• Distribution of agriculture inputs; Spray pumps, livestock Chicken and Pigs,OSP vines, improved maize and bean seed.
• Follow up and spot agronomical technical support under crop and livestock production

This was a project funded by the Lutheran World Relief (LWR) To improve livelihoods of smallholder farmers through sustainable agriculture. It targeted smallholder farmers of beans,maize and coffee to increase their incomes through marketing of their cash crops. Most of the agricultural commodities in Uganda are produced by small scale farmers. Despite their enormous contribution, the livelihoods of smallholder farmers remain insecure. This largely due to their failure to engage into meaningful agribusiness and enabling their products to access lucrative markets. The marketing problems include inadequacy of funds, limited value addition, poor flow of market information, small quantities difficult to market, high costs leading to buying of inputs in small quantities, after harvest losses due to poor storage, weak bargaining power, weak institutions and selling after harvest when prices are low.

Precooked beans for improving food and nutrition security and income generation and conservation of natural resources in Uganda IDRC funded project and a collaboration between CEDO and NARO. It aimed at:

• To develop and evaluate affordable pre cooked bean products, to test models for increasing production and supply of beans suitable for processing into precooked beans,
• To assess demand,identify promotion mechanisms and widely promote the consumption of precooked beans for different consumer groups
• To analyze and mainstream gender in the precooked bean value chain
• To test and assess different formal and informal uptake mechanisms and inform food and nutrition policies in the region

The DDBC project engaged the strategy of disseminating of biofortified crops as a means of addressing micronutrient disorders of Vitamin A Deficiency and iron within the target communities and the crops of emphasis were Orange Sweet Potatoes and iron rich beans.
The project distributed superior quality planting materials for orange sweet potatoes and beans (iron rich) accompanied with nutrition education messages training plus marketing and business linkage skills. The knowledge potential of staff, CRPs, lead mothers, MOFs and direct beneficiary farmers were heightened in the thematic avenues of production, nutrition and marketing. CRPs were enrolled to supplement the CEDO extension grassroot advisory structure to stretch out widely to the community.