49
13/14
This will be done through the effects of the created enabling
environment, 5 established regional networks of Youth and
Women will be seen to create a basis for them to discuss
their policy issues and also involve in the implementation of
the coffee policy.
The coffee growing business is dominated by the old and the
youthunder theageof 35 rarelyparticipate in forumsof policy
decision because of their little involvement in this business.
Thesameapplies towomenwhocarryoutmost of production
functions but not perfectly exposed to the marketing as well
as policy development areas. In this era, young people have
unproven capacity andpotential to put together development
connections in communities, their engagement in policy
advocacy will not only unearth their issues but will also tap
their fresh knowledge and progressively tease out real issues
at household levels. NUCAFEs previous gender intervention
focused on improved household relations and among the
key achievements were; women and youth getting involved
in marketing activities and making decisions on the coffee
proceeds.
This laid a ground to their participation and exposure in the
coffee farming familybusinesses,ascriticalplayers in thecoffee
industry; the gender based advocacy activity is to facilitate
youth and women improved engagement in policy activities.
Therewill be lobbying for policy advocacy spaces for them to
voice their needs howevermany times these spaces are seen
as sites of resistance because of the prevailing inequalities.
If women and youth are empowered with knowledge and
skills of policy advocacy, they can equitably contributebrilliant
ideas in shaping policy reforms that are good for an enabling
environment.
During the inception activities, there was a significant
participation of females and youth, their awareness on policy
issues proved inadequate. However, they were enthusiastic
to learn about the new coffee policy and admitted that they
had inadequate information. Awareness creation about the
principles of the National Coffee Policy is done to prepare
themget involved in its implementationwithan informedmind.
Members are provided with basic information and original
copies of the policy disseminated, accessing that kind of
information is seen to improve the coffee farmers’ knowledge
on the policies that concern them and because they are the
key drivers of implementation, this is critical in contributing to
its successful execution.
Additionally, farmers are provided with basic skills of issues
analysis in which they identify and document their issues,
they point out coffee policy implementation gaps and this will
be documented in an innovative Management Information
System to be shared with stakeholders. Also throughout the
coffee policy awareness campaign, coalition building will be
done to link farmers toopportunities, aspolicy implementation
takes place; new opportunities are envisioned to emerge.
During stakeholder interactions, identifiedopportunitieswill be
linked tomembers and they will be informed and advised for
them to utilize and benefit from them. For example in South
Western region; NUCAFE together withmembers is pursuing
theconstructionof a road inBulyambaghucommunity through
the district connection, this will be important to facilitate
market access.
Boosting women and youth participation needs a collective
effort; this calls for innovations in the sector especially to keep
the youth active. Their needs are unique and they are key to
attract new ideas and energies. Therefore, NUCAFE believes
enhancing women and youth skills and their exposure will
address the long held challenge that agriculture is for the old.
Agriculture needs to be rebranded as the new unexplored
frontier for growth in youth business opportunities. Creating
youth specialists in for example production, processing or
marketing will remove ambiguity of agricultural specialty and
thus promotemore job creation.
