IICD supported programme: Improve Competence for Rural Micro- and Small Scale Enterprises - Uganda

This project is an outcome of the RTW of November 2002. This project is focussing on the training needs of rural SME’s and produced beautiful training materials on post-harvesting techniques, business development etc.. These materials are used in three centres up-country supported by UIRI while they are made available for other partners. It is worth looking at these materials because this type of materials has a unique quality and that is the secret of this project. It makes learning fun by using modern techniques such as video, interactive CDroms etc... And therefore it makes learning effective. The training materials used are in fact an instructive and light-hearted show.

 In total the project took 3 years of implementation. It resulted into quality training for SME’s in a total of 4 locations: Kampala (venue of the project owner UIRI), Mubende, Kabale and Mbale. The project has been integrated in the operations of these 3 up-country centres (The centres in Mbale, Kabale and Mubende do fulfil their mandate and run in a sustainable way) while the training materials as such are being used by other centres (IICD partners and UNIDO centres). Also at UIRI the project has been absorbed: The project component of coaching up-country centres and content development has been embedded in the organisation from January 1, 2006 (e.g. the project has become a department within UIRI with an associated budget)

The Project was closed down as a project at September 1, 2006 by Minister of Industry and is continuing independently as a line department within UIRI.

Contributing towards:

• Promoting small- and micro scale enterprises that can absorb the excess from agriculture and redundant human resources
• Creating employment opportunities through investments
• Creating an enabling investment environment

Read more about IICD’s Uganda Country Programme.

The Project’s Main Objectives Are To Provide SMEs active in Agribusiness with:

• Information on applied and affordable technologies, so as to improve efficiency of production, and to add value to the products by processing to semi-finished or processed commodity
• Effective entrepreneurial and business skills through training, self-learning and demonstration,
• Improved office and communication services, and
• Technical and business advisory and information services

To capacitate SMEs to develop their businesses

Read more about IICD’s approach towards livelihoods.

Quality content takes time to develop but in the end quality pays off.

Three up-country centres and UIRI offering quality training to SME’s on business development and post harvesting techniques