Stories
April 21, 2026 • 3 min read
In Uganda, Mulondo Yasid has farmed in the Buyodi community in Kaliro District his whole life. Like many smallholder farmers in the Busoga region, farming is more than a livelihood, it forms a central part of his identity and a vital source of security for his family’s future. Yet for years, that future felt like a distant dream as his farm rarely produced enough to support his families’ basic needs. When Yasid became involved in the INSPIRE project, he was supported to adopt sustainable agricultural practices, transforming his livelihood.
Before INSPIRE
For years, Yasid used his half acre to cultivate green pepper and eggplant that he would use as produce in the local market, and to support the dietary needs of his family. Despite his commitment to arable farming, Yasid’s results were discouraging and did not produce enough yield required to support his family. Poor water management, depleted soils, and a reliance on low-value subsistence crops kept him trapped in a cycle of limited output. While he recognised the need to improve his farming practices, he lacked access to the knowledge and support required to make a meaningful change.
Yasid’s poor harvest reflects the wider challenges faced by many arable farmers across the region. He earns an annual income of UGX 2.3 million (approximately €529), which falls below the regional average of UGX 3.5 million (approximately €811) and is significantly lower than the national living income benchmark of UGX 10 million (approximately €2,318).
Reflecting on his personal challenges, Yasid describes his reality as “farming without direction.”
A New Direction Through INSPIRE
A turning point came for Yasid when he joined the INSPIRE project’s Integrated Plot Plan (IPP) sessions. These learning sessions follow a bottom-up approach to empower farming households in shaping their own development. The programme equips them with improved agricultural practices through crop and livestock management and financial planning.
After joining the programme, Yasid was able to transform his trial-and-error approach to farming, into deliberate, structured decision-making and action. He learned practical, climate-smart techniques suited to the region’s lowland conditions, improved water management through ridging and mulching, and the combined use of organic and mineral inputs to restore soil fertility. As a result, Yasid moved away from low-return subsistence farming toward higher-value, market-oriented crops that improved his earnings.
A Season That Told a Different Story
The impact was substantial. In his first season after the IPP sessions, Yasid cultivated the same half acre of green pepper, but this time harvested 200 kg, double his previous yield, and earned UGX 500,000 (approximately €125). For Yasid, this change inspired him to continue his journey through INSPIRE. Reflecting on the sustained impact of these changes, Yasid said, “If I am persistent and keep applying what I have learned. I will progressively achieve higher and higher.”
The income from this harvest allowed him to begin reinvesting through his village’s Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA), improving his access to quality inputs and reducing his reliance on informal borrowing that had previously left him financially vulnerable.
Supporting Community Development
Today, Yasid is applying the lessons he gained through INSPIRE’S Integrated Plot Plan to facilitate practical, peer‑to‑peer learning within his community. By hosting hands-on demonstrations, he shares his newly acquired knowledge with neighbouring farmers facing similar agricultural challenges.
Through this peer-learning model, individuals like Yasid become catalysts for change, extending the impact of GOAL’s work far beyond a single plot of land. His efforts demonstrate the powerful, ripple effect of empowering communities with education to drive sustainable, long‑term change.
A Sustainable Change
As a result of his participation within the INSPIRE project, Yasid has expanded his landholding and increased his agricultural output, building steadily toward a more resilient future for his family. His story is a reminder that meaningful agricultural transformation is rarely sudden. It is incremental, deliberate, and grounded in knowledge. Through GOAL’s localisation approach, farmers like Yasid are empowered with tailored knowledge and skills to support sustainable change. For Yasid, this change was not only measured in kilograms or shillings but measured in the confidence of a farmer who is empowered to create lasting change.
Read more about the INSPIRE project
