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ROB MCCLENDON: WELL WITH 62 PERCENT OF AFRICA'S POPULATION YOUNGER THAN
25, IT IS A CONTINENT WITH TREMENDOUS POTENTIAL.
AND IT'S WITH THE YOUTH OF UGANDA, SOME OF THE FELLOWS AUSTIN HAS
INTRODUCED US TO, THAT ARE DOING SOME OF THEIR ABSOLUTE BEST WORK.
[SOUNDS OF AFRICAN DRUM BEATS]
ONE PLACE WHERE BOTH POPULATION ISSUES AND
AGRICULTURAL CHALLENGES ARE CONVERGING IS IN THE SCHOOLS, LIKE THIS ONE WE
VISITED OUTSIDE KAMPALA.
IT IS HERE THAT YOU CAN SEE BOTH HOW DEVASTATING POPULATION GROWTH HAS BEEN
ON THIS COUNTRY, AND YET HOW MUCH POTENTIAL THERE IS IN THAT POPULATION.
[ DRUMMING AND CHILDREN'S VOICES ]
[ DRUMMING AND CHILDREN SINGING ]
REPORTER: THAT IS 1,000 STUDENTS FOR A HANDFUL OF CLASSROOMS THESE KIDS ARE
SHARP, AND MOTIVATED TO HAVE A BETTER LIFE.
BUT THEY ARE SITTING 160 DEEP IN A SINGLE CLASSROOM.
[ RECITING IN UNISON ]
REPORTER: ADD THAT TO A HISTORY IN UGANDA OF
AGRICULTURE BEING USED AS PUNISHMENT IN SCHOOL.
GET CAUGHT TALKING IN CLASS, GO DIG A FURROW.
ACT OUT DURING A LESSON; SPEND THE AFTERNOON WEEDING THE GARDEN.
AS A PROFESSIONAL EDUCATOR, IN THE CONTEXT OF AGRICULTURE, I REALLY
TAKE GREAT EXCEPTION OR UMBRAGE TO THAT, AND I'VE BEEN VERY PLAIN WITH THE
FELLOWS ABOUT THAT, AND I THINK MOST OF THEM REALIZE THAT FUNDAMENTALLY, THAT
IS A MISTAKE.
THAT IF THE YOUNG PEOPLE IDENTIFY AGRICULTURE SOLELY WITH PUNISHMENT AND
DRUDGERY, IT'S GOING TO BE VERY DIFFICULT TO ATTRACT THEM TO AGRICULTURAL
CAREERS.
REPORTER: BUT THERE IS AN EFFORT TO CHANGE THAT CULTURE.
AT THIS SCHOOL, AGRICULTURE IS NOW TAUGHT AS A SCIENCE, AND THE
SCHOOL GARDEN, MANAGED WITHIN THE CURRICULUM, HELPS SUPPLEMENT THE
MEALS.
BUT WITH SO MANY CHILDREN, THE GARDEN SIMPLY CANNOT PRODUCE ENOUGH.
THE IDEA BEHIND THIS IS TO GIVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO THESE KIDS TO UNDERSTAND
THE AGRARIAN PRACTICES FOR THE DIFFERENT CROPS.
BUT HOW DO YOU GET MESSAGES OUT TO THOSE ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN
AGRICULTURE?
TELEVISION AND INTERNET ARE AVAILABLE TO FEW OUTSIDE THE CITIES.
RADIO IS WHERE 80 PERCENT OF UGANDANS GET THEIR NEWS.
BUT THE FORMAT AND THE JOURNALISTS THERE ARE ILL EQUIPPED FOR THE DETAILED
MESSAGES AG PRODUCERS NEED FORTUNATELY, THIS COUNTRY, THAT LACKS SO MUCH IN
TERMS OF INFRASTRUCTURE, GOT ONE PART OF IT WONDERFULLY RIGHT.
YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'LL FIND IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD, IN KENYA AND UGANDA IN
PARTICULAR THAT I'VE EXPERIENCED, AND IN MALI TO SOME DEGREE, THEY'VE
SKIPPED THE LANDLINE, THE TELEPHONE LINE, THEY'VE SKIPPED IT YOU KNOW.
AND EVEN PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN TRADITIONAL AFRICAN HUTS, THEIR FAMILY HAS A
CELL PHONE, AND THERE'S COVERAGE, I HAVEN'T EVER FOUND A PLACE IN UGANDA,
SO FAR, THAT MY CELL PHONE DOESN'T WORK.
AND THOSE CELL PHONES ARE HOW ONE FELLOW, DANIEL ENSIEMA, IS TRYING TO
BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN PRODUCERS AND SELLERS AND TO SHIFT THE POWER
STRUCTURE OF UGANDAN AGRICULTURE AWAY FROM THE TRADERS IN THE MIDDLE.
ON OUR FINAL DAY, DANIEL TOOK KOSU'S RACHEL HUBBARD, PHOTO JOURNALIST
MITCH OCALLA, AND MYSELF TO AN URBAN MARKET AND INTRODUCED US TO A MAN WHO
BUYS AND SELLS POTATOES.
[ SPEAKING IN THEIR NATIVE LANGUAGE ]
SO HE SAYS THEY USE BROKERS, THE BROKERS
WHO GO TO THE VILLAGES TO LOOK FOR THE POTATOES.
SO THEY LOAD THEM ONTO THE TRUCKS, AND BRING THEM TO KAMPALA.
SO HE BUYS FROM THE BROKERS.
THE PRICE THAT THE BROKERS ACTUALLY GIVE THEM IS QUITE HIGHER COMPARED TO
THE PRICE YOU BUY AT THE FARMERS.
REPORTER: AND THAT IS WHERE THE CELL PHONE TECHNOLOGY COMES IN.
DANIEL OFFERS NEGOTIATING POWER TO BOTH ENDS OF THE CHAIN.
FIRST OF ALL, WE STARTED USING SMS, SHORT TEXT MESSAGING, SO WE COLLECT
INFORMATION FROM MARKETS IN KAMPALA, AND THEN SHARE THAT WITH OUR FARMERS IN
THE FIELD.
THEN, ALSO, GET THE PRICES OF INTEREST IN THE MARKETS, AND SHARE THAT
WITH OUR TRADERS IN KAMPALA.
BECAUSE THE PROJECT WAS ABOUT BRINGING THE TRADERS IN KAMPALA, THE POTATOE
TRADERS IN KAMPALA, WITH THE POTATOE FARMERS IN KABALA AND NTUNGAMBO, TO
COME TO AN AGREEMENT AND BE ABLE TO ESTABLISH A FORMAL PRICE, COMING TO
AGREEMENT AND SELLING THE PRODUCTS, LIKE ON A CONTRACTUAL BAISIS.
SO EVERY MORNING I CALL HIM OR HE CALLS ME, UPDATING THE INFORMATION,
THE DIFFERENT PRICES, FOR THE DIFFERENT PRODUCTS IN THIS MARKET.
SO THEN I UPLOAD THAT, THEN I SHARE THAT WITH THE DIFFERENT FARMERS AND THE
DIFFERENT TRADERS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR DATABASE.
REPORTER: DANIEL HOPES THIS MARKET INFORMATION CAN HELP WIDEN PROFIT
MARGINS FOR FARMERS LIKE THIS.
[ SPEAKING IN THEIR NATIVE LANGUAGE ]
OKAY; SO SHE SAYS THE COST OF
TRANSPORTING THE PRODUCTS UP FROM THE MWIZI MARKET IS HIGH, BECAUSE THE
DRIVERS KEEP TELLING THEM THAT GAS IS EXPENSIVE.
SO THAT MAKES TRANSPORT VERY EXPENSIVE FOR THEM.
AND THE OTHER THING IS THE TAX.
BECAUSE THEY TAX THEM TO HAVE A STALL IN THIS MARKET.
SO BEFORE THEY ENTER THIS MARKET THEY HAVE TO PAY A CERTAIN FEE AND SHE SAYS
THIS IS VERY HIGH.
SO IT MAKES HER PRODUCTS VERY EXPENSIVE AND KIND OF REDUCES HER SALES AND HER
PROFIT MARGINS.
REPORTER: THE MARKET IS HARD TO DESCRIBE.
I'M NOT EVEN SURE I'M ABLE TO CONVEY JUST HOW BUSY AND TIGHTLY PACKED THE
AREA TRULY IS.
AS FRESH AND APPETIZING AS SO MUCH OF THIS HARVEST IS, INCHES AWAY THE PATH
YOU WALK ON IS THE ROTTING LEFTOVERS FROM THE MARKETS OF THE PAST DAYS AND
WEEKS.
ROB: SO AUSTIN, CERTAINLY IN A COUNTRY WHERE THERE IS NO REFRIGERATION THEIR
FRESH MARKETS ARE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE ARE USED TO, TO SAY THE
LEAST.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, I WAS REALLY STRUCK BY IN THAT STORY, IS THE
CONVERSATIONS THAT YOU WERE HAVING THERE.
THEY ARE THE EXACT SAME CONVERSATION I KNOW YOU AND I BOTH HAVE HAD OUT IN
A FARMER'S FIELD RIGHT HERE IN OKLAHOMA.
AUSTIN: THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT SURPRISED ME THE MOST DURING OUR
VISIT.
EVERYTIME WE MET WITH A FARMER, EVERYTIME WE MET WITH SOMEONE WHO WORKED
WITH AG, THEY REALLY DID FEEL LIKE I WAS TALKING WITH OUR COUNTERPARTS
HERE.
THE SAME ISSUES, THE SAME SAVVY ABOUT WHAT THEY NEED TO DO EXISTS.
BUT AS YOU TOUCHED ON, ONE OF THE BIG ISSUES IS STORAGE AND REFRIGERATION.
YOU KNOW MILK THAT'S NOT SOLD IS POURED OUT FRUITS AND VEGETABLES THAT
WEREN'T SOLD IN THAT MARKET ARE THROWN DOWN, AND THAT'S WHAT WE WERE
WALKING ON WAS THE DAY BEFORE'S WARES THAT WEREN'T SOLD.
ROB: SO TRULY THEY ARE SUBJECT TO SUPPLY AND DEMAND.
IF THE DEMAND IS RIGHT NOW AND THEY HAVE THE SUPPLY, BUT THERE'S VERY LITTLE
STORAGE.
AUSTIN: WELL YES, THERE IS VERY LITTLE STORAGE, THERE IS VERY LITTLE TRUST IN
THE ELECTRICITY SYSTEM, IT REALLY WENT OUT ON US FOUR OR FIVE TIMES A DAY WHERE
WE WERE AT.
THIS IS ONE OF THE BIG ISSUES WITH FOOD SECURITY IN THE COUNTRY.
IN THE SOUTHWEST PART OF THE COUNTRY THERE IS A TON OF FOOD, THERE'S A TON OF
PRODUCTION.
IN THE NORTHEAST PART OF THE COUNTRY, IT'S VERY DRY AND ARID AND THEY NEED THE
FOOD.
BUT GETTING IT THERE, GETTING THE STORAGE, BEING ABLE TO KEEP IT AND DOING
SOMETHING WITH IT BEYOND, YOU KNOW THE IMPROVED PRODUCTS, IT JUST DOESN'T
HAPPEN.
ROB: CERTAINLY SOMETHING VERY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE'RE USED TO HERE.
NOW I KNOW YOU ALSO GOT TO MEET A TRIBE OF PYGMIES THAT HAVE BEEN EVICTED
FROM THEIR HOMELAND, AND NOW THEY'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO SURVIVE
IN THIS NEW WORLD THAT THEY'VE BEEN PRESENTED WITH.
IF YOU WOULD, SET THE STAGE FOR US.
AUSTIN: WELL CERTAINLY, ABOUT HALFWAY THROUGH THE TRIP, WE DROVE DOWN TO THE
SOUTHWEST CORNER OF THE COUNTRY, ENDED UP ABOUT TEN MILES FROM RWANDA AT
THIS POINT.
BEFORE WE GOT TO THE PYGMIES, WE DROVE TO A PLACE FOR LUNCH.
NOW BEFORE WE GET TO THAT PLACE, THERE'S TRIBES OF FOLKS, FAMILIES SITTING ON
THE SIDES OF THE MOUNTAIN WITH LITTLE HAMMERS, GRANDPARENTS, BABY
CHILDREN, HITTING ROCKS WITH HAMMERS TO MAKE GRAVEL TO SELL TO
CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES.
JUST BEYOND THAT WE GET TO THIS RESORT OWNED BY A WONDERFUL BELGIAN
GENTLEMAN, AND THIS IS A NICE RESORT AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THIS IS THE PLACE
WHERE IF YOU ARE REALLY RICH, YOU'RE GOING TO GO TAKE YOUR HONEYMOON,
AMAZING PLACE.
SO THEN WE DRIVE UP THE MOUNTAIN, IN THE RAIN, AND THROUGH QUITE AN ADVENTURE
WIND UP ACTUALLY MEETING THIS SMALL TRIBE OF PYGMIES WHO WERE SOME OF
THE MOST ANIMATED PEOPLE WE MET ON OUR TRIP.
REPORTER: IN THE SOUTHWESTERN TIP OF THE COUNTRY, ONLY MILES FROM
RWANDA, WE WERE INTRODUCED TO THE BATWA PYGMIES.
HISTORICALLY, THIS WAS A TRIBE OF THE FOREST WHO COLLECTED HONEY FOR TRADE.
BUT IN 1991, THEY WERE EVICTED AS THEIR FOREST BECAME A NATIONAL PARK FOR
GORILLA CONSERVATION.
THE TRANSITION INTO CIVILIZATION HAS NOT BEEN EASY, AND FELLOW DANIEL
NINCIMA HAS BEEN WORKING TO IMPROVE THEIR OPPORTUNITIES.
WELL THE PYGMIES ACTUALLY ARE TRADITIONALLY HONEY GATHERERS, I MEAN
ORIGINALLY FROM THE FOREST.
SO WHEN THEY WERE BUSED FROM THE FOREST, WE HAD TO, LIKE, DEVISE A MEANS
OF, LIKE, LEAVING AND STARTED MAKING THE BEEHIVES.
BUT THEN THE INTRODUCTION OF BEEHIVES HAVE A PROBLEM THAT WHEN IT RAINS, THE
KIND OF WET WEATHER THE BEES IT TRANQUILIZE THEM.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO INTRODUCE, LIKE, MODERN BEEHIVES, THAT HAVE A ROOF
ON THEM TO STOP THE RAIN FROM LIKE GETTING INSIDE, SO THEY CAN AT LEAST GET
MORE HONEY AND GET MORE MONEY OUT OF IT.
[ SPEAKING IN THEIR NATIVE LANGUAGE ]
REPORTER: IN ADDITION TO IMPROVING
THEIR OWN HONEY-GATHERING OPERATION, THE PYGMIES HOPE TO MANUFACTURE THESE
MODERN BEEHIVES FOR SALE OUTSIDE THE COMMUNITY.
[ SPEAKING IN THEIR NATIVE LANGUAGE ]
REPORTER: DANIEL HAS ALSO INTRODUCED
THE CONCEPT OF SAVINGS TO THIS COMMUNITY, WHICH TRADITIONALLY HAS SPENT
MONEY AS SOON AS IT'S BEEN EARNED.
IN JUST A SHORT TIME, THEY'VE ALREADY SAVED 45,000 SHILLINGS.
NOW THAT'S ONLY ABOUT $20 HERE IN THE STATES, BUT TO THIS GROUP, THAT'S A
MASSIVE ACHIEVEMENT.
[ CHEERING, SINGING AND CLAPPING ]
[ CHEERING, SINGING, CLAPPING IN CELEBRATION ]