By Ritah Mukasa
Did you know that there are several investment opportunities in the refugee settlements, especially in agribusiness?
For example; there is virgin market for irrigation equipment, value addition and energy saving technologies for lighting and cooking.
Private sector players can also establish local agro-input centres within refugee communities to provide farmers with high-quality seeds, fertilizers, and tools.
David Gatare says; “Refugees are a viable community because many individuals and groups are engaging in production and contributing to the economy.”
Gatare is the country director for Mercy Corps Uganda, a non-profit international humanitarian organization that supports farmers to increase productivity through climate-smart agriculture techniques. They work with refugees and host communities.
Gatare made the revelations during the launch of the evidence brief on the effects of integrating poverty graduation with market systems development.
He highlighted the impact the program continues to have on refugees and host communities in and around Bidi bidi and Rhino camp refugee settlements in West Nile.
Uganda currently hosts 1.7 refugees according to the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) and United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR).
Of these, Bidi bidi refugee settlement is estimated to be home to over 270,000 refugees while Rhino camp hosts 155,653 registered refugees.
These settlements are among the largest in Uganda and many inhabitants engage in agriculture and other small businesses.
Meanwhile, for the last three years, Mercy Corps has been implementing the Delivering Resilient Enterprises and Market Systems (DREAMS) model in partnership with Village Enterprise and ID Insight.
They aim to reach 100,000 individuals and 12,000 households. So far, 7,437 households and 48,504 individuals have been supported to become self-reliant.
Immaculate Nalubyayi Gidudu, policy and advocacy manager says the five-year project (2021-2026) seeks to increase household income, savings, and assets. Add to that improved food security and well-being for families, especially women, children, and the youth.
Gatare also noted that 82% of participants have diversified their income streams. They do on-farm production and on the side, they sell general merchandise.
Each business, on average is worth about sh1.8m owing to increased market opportunities, improved farming techniques, quality inputs, knowledge of agronomic practices and improved access to credit.
Emmanuel Ogwok, Programs manager says; “We have proved that it is possible to graduate people from poverty to self-reliance within one year.”
“We have also realized that refugee communities are a virgin area for private sector investment. Most important; we have learnt that it is easy to transform people’s mindset from being aid-dependent to self-reliant,” he adds.
Many refugees were hit hard when the World Food Programme (WFP) either cut off or reduced the food rations due to funding constraints.
For that, Ogwok says; “We therefore had to look for innovative ways to support the refugees to be self-sustaining. The sh14,000 per person per month they receive can’t do much.”
LEAD PHOTO CAPTION: Emmanuel Ogwok (first right) with other stakeholders discussing opportunities in refugee settlements. Photo Ritah Musaka
