YPARD Africa Members Attend The Iowa State University Development Workshop in Uganda

Mprigiti Rural Training Center, Uganda

The Center for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods (CSRL), established by Iowa State University, is launching their 2024 Development Workshop in Uganda ‘Designing and Managing Sustainable Rural Livelihood Programs’. YPARD members Ruth Mugisha and Gerald Kasiita have been selected as two of the young professionals in the agriculture and rural development sector who will join the workshop.

January 5, 2024, Berlin, Germany - The Iowa State University (ISU) Development Workshop in Uganda is taking place between January 3 to January 13, 2024 at the Mpirigiti Rural Training Center (MRTC) in the Kamuli District of Uganda. The workshop will be attended by university students and NGO practitioners, and include lectures by development experts and visits to high-impact programs in the field. Participants will gain experience working in high-performing teams, and complete a project design guided by ISU-Uganda program staff and Iowa State University faculty. YPARD Director Genna Tesdall will serve as a guest instructor for the workshop.

The workshop is being led by

• Dr. David Acker (Director, Center for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods),
• Dr. Gail Nonnecke (Associate Director for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods),
• Dr. Gideon Nadiope (National Director of ISU-Uganda Programs), and
• Ms. Sofia Fernandez (Workshop Coordinator and recent graduate of ISU).

YPARD members Ruth and Gerald are among the 13 early career professionals and advanced university students selected from East Africa, Europe and the United States to participate at the ISU Workshop. Both Ruth and Gerald have extensive experience in promoting youth participation in sustainable rural development, knowledge-building, and empowering young people to shape sustainable food systems.

Ruth Mugisha, YPARD representative for Lira, northern Uganda, works at the Uganda Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (UFAAS), a country chapter for the African Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (AFAAS). She holds a Diploma in Crop Production and Management from Busitema University, and a degree in Agricultural and Rural Innovations from Makerere university. She is currently finishing a master’s degree in Agri-enterprises Development at Gulu University Uganda under the TagDev scholarship program. She has also completed a course in enhancing the competencies of agricultural extension workers in Uganda under the Hungarian Ministry of Agriculture.

Gerald Kasiita is a YPARD Ugandan District member and social entrepreneur. He is the founder and CEO of Vibrant Generation Uganda Youth Empowerment Center, a youth-led NGO that champions sustainable livelihoods and self-confidence among the rural youth. Their mission is to build a brave and resilient generation through food security and entrepreneurship. Gerald is also a Board member representing farmer organizations at UFAAS.

Their participation in the ISU Development Workshop will enable them to further increase their knowledge in building and designing rural development programs while networking with other development practitioners.