East African Business Week

Kampala, Uganda-The US Mission Uganda through Africa Lead Project has trained up to 100 Ugandans in a leadership course aimed at supporting Uganda's agricultural development plans.
In a statement issued by USAID Uganda, the two weeks innovative course developed "Champions for Change" who will help rural families grow enough food to feed their families while they generate income.
 The participants attained leadership training, skills assessments, short courses, and internships that they will pass on to others to achieve national and regional food security goals.  
"Africa Lead Project that is part of U.S. President Barack Obama's global "Feed the Future" initiative aims at eliminating hunger and reducing poverty," statement reads in part.
Uganda committed to the African Union-led Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Program (CAADP) goals which require governments to set aside ten percent of their national budgets for agriculture to achieve a six percent growth rate in this sector by 2015.
The initiative is also designed to raise the gross income of farming households to at least $20 million a year through increased agricultural productivity and diversification.
In her address to the "Champions for Change," African Union Commissioner, Rhoda Tumusiime said, "CAADP has been embraced continent-wide as an integration and development tool."
 She urged the participants to use their skills to help achieve food security in the region.
This growing network of empowered agriculture leaders is conducting cascade trainings, designing innovative programs, and advocating for policy changes, needed to meet countryries' goals in agriculture.