Community Mobilization Against Poverty (CMAP)
By Moses Mukongo
CMAP would like all farmer collaborators to develop the capacity to utilize locally-available resources so that the land resources they have can produce more food and family income more sustainably. This will lead to people living normal and active lives. Lifelong effects of insufficient food can be devastating, especially among young children. This affects their potential for productive adult lives.
CMAP emphasizes a knowledge-based approach focused on the strategic management and utilization of organic inputs, as well as use of adapted varieties, improved agronomic practices and crop diversification. CMAP trains farmers on principles underlying biological soil fertility management, as well as on specific technologies that can help them to increase crop production. CMAP follows up the initial workshop-based training by facilitating farmers to conduct technology verification trials, where farmers experiment with specific technologies. Experiential learning helps farmers to internalize technical knowledge by providing farmers with the opportunity to screen specific technologies on their own farms.
Farmers are trained in soil fertility management, crop diversification, improved crop management and improved farm planning. However, before any group or community is selected for any training, a participatory rural appraisal exercise has to be carried out. This approach enables the group members to present, share and analyze their knowledge and conditions of life, in order to update and keep in tune with what people really want.
Trainings are carried out through demonstrations and group lessons, individual farmer follow-ups, farmer-to-farmer exchanges, the development of training materials and continuous monitoring and evaluation.
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