Following a successful completion of the National Landcare Conference and Awards and that specifically included launching of Junior Land care week at Kabale Primary School in November 2019, an interest was raised to roll out the programme. The Principal Education Officer (PEO) Mr. Munyambabazi Grace, initiated a joint consultative dialogue between ULN and Kabale Municipal Council to discuss the process of rolling out junior Landcare programme across the district. In response to a formal letter dated 2nd March 2020 from Mr. Munyambabazi addressed to Uganda Landcare Network (ULN), the team Leader; Dr Joy M. Tukahirwa accompanied by ULN staff in charge of knowledge management Mr. Rick Kamugisha; Leaders of Kabale Agroforestry Network (Mr. Jimmy Musiime and Mr. Gershom Bahika participated in consultative meeting at Kabale Municipal Council and KAN on 9th October 2020. The dialogue participants included His worship the Mayor of Kabale Municipality, Mr Emmanuel Sentaro Byamugisha; Staff of Education Department and several head teachers from the municipality Primary Schools. Emerging action points from the dialogue included but not limited to rolling out the junior landcare programmes in all schools; nurturing junior land care / clubs groups / networks in schools; reviving school gardens and creating linkages between schools and communities on sustainable land management; improving knowledge sharing and skills; supporting and training junior land care facilitators in schools while equipping them with training and monitoring tools; and maximizing supporting platforms for sharing best land care practices, challenges, suitable recommendations also implementable action plans.
“Engaging school children in land care activities has far-reaching positive multiplier effects in a number of ways ranging from academic, social to skills development. This is therefore a move that should be part and parcel of our school systems” We are here because of what you started. We are ambitiously envisioning Kabale returning to its former glory as the Switzerland of Africa nutritiously fed. Mentioned by Mr Munyambabazi Grace, the Principal Education Officer, Kabale Municipality.
The Consultative meeting aimed at further discussing the possibilities of Scaling up / Promoting Junior Landcare approach all Schools in Kabale Municipality with a target of providing a balanced diet to learners is key to their fight against diseases such as, Malnutrition, COVID 19 and improves their academic and physical performances in and outside school.
In her remarks, the Uganda Landcare Team leader, thanked the District Education Department for Kabale Municipality for inviting ULN to this important joint Junior Landcare Consultative meeting and pledged deliberate efforts to catalyse collaboration and engagement in Junior Landcare activities in the Greater Kabale district primary and tertiary institutions.