Blog Archives

Launch of Uganda’s first Satellite, PearlAfricaSat-1

Posted on November 14, 2022 | 2 comments

On the 7th of November 2022 , Uganda made history by claiming its first piece of real estate in space by launching the PPearlAfricaSat-1. This move while being very remarkable for our nation has been greeted with alot of cynicism by a number of e-literates who I choose to respectfully refer to as ignorant in space and technology matters.

In a two part article, I am going to share with you more about this satellite and why we need to have it. Let us start with the basics of Satellite Technology.

What is a Satellite?
A satellite is a moon, planet or machine that orbits a planet or star. For example, Earth is a satellite because it orbits the sun. Likewise, the moon is a satellite because it orbits Earth.
Usually, the word “satellite” refers to a machine that is launched into space and moves around Earth or another body in space.

The PearlAfricaSat-1

Importance of Satellites
They play a key role in our day to day lives and there is so much we lately take for granted that is attributed to their presence. They are very useful when it comes to earth observation, communication, navigation and science.
Through the data they collect, satellites support;

  • National Economies
  • Manage emergency situations
  • Monitor the Environment
  • Protect public health
  • Ensure public safety and national defence

How do they help us in our day to day lives?

Farming
Satellite data for farming can help farmers overcome challenges that impact upon their yields. Land yields in Uganda are some of the lowest around the world despite our very well endowed soils. Why is this the case? Should we only attribute it to poor/unpredictable rains? Isn’t there a way we can utilise satellite data to have a micro understanding of our farmlands?

We could use the satellite for getting a unique perspective of our famlands through moisture detection, insect infestations, plant health, drainage network, flooding and droughts.

As a nation we lack basic and accurate crop inventory information like acreage of various crops nationwide, the condition of the crops as well as anticipated production outcomes.

All this information and much more can be availed to the various stakeholders hence helping them make better decisions regarding their agribusiness initiatives. It helps a farmer in production and a value addition processor in sourcing of raw material.

Health
Satellites can help improve on the already struggling health situation in Uganda.

They can monitor the environment and support the development of information on risk factors associated with environmentally linked infectious diseases, water contamination as well as chronic conditions.
They can identify and monitor risk locations for mosquito and tick-borne diseases.
We currently have an Ebola breakout in the country and satellite data can help guide ground interventions. Field epidemiologists and medical staff can use this data to locate infrastructure to support the deployment of services such as temporary hospitals, or mobile laboratories to support the investigation and diagnosis of diseases as well as database development. They also help us react and timely respond to pandemics.

E-Health, Telehealth and Telemedicine applications are all beneficiaries of satellite technology.

Today alone, this is how a satellite is helping you without your knowledge;

  • Using that Safe Boda App: If you hail a boda boda (bike) service that uses an app, your position is traced through the Global Position System that is heavily reliant on satellites for accuracy.
  • Eating that Weetabix cereal in the morning is a result of a farmer who used satellite technology to determine the best time to irrigate the gardens as well as harvest time.
  • The internet service you use as one of its infrastructure relies on satellites.
  • The weather update you got on your phone in the morning prior to leaving home relies on satellite activity.
  • The Google Pin that you got showing the venue of the meeting you have is a result of satellite activity.
    Safety. You may be moving around carelessly taking so much for granted but through satellite activity, alot is done to monitor various national security installations and public resources.

Now that we are in the know of how Satellites are of importance, in the next article, I shall dwell on the Ugandan Satellite that was launched barely a week ago and is ready for action.

  • Is it our Government behind it?
  • Did Ugandans design it?
  • Will it be worth the money spent?
    and more, based on your feedback to this article.

Do you now realise why having a satellite is likely to help Uganda as a nation ?
Do you believe that Uganda is ready to participate in the space age?

See you in Part 2.

James Wire
Agribusiness & Technology Consultant
Twitter – @wirejames

2 Comments

Posted in General, Technology

Tagged , , , , ,

Time for Smallholder Farmer Empowerment

Posted on September 29, 2022 | 1 comment

For ages, the smallholder farmer has been regarded as a small earner. The urban dwellers have always been contented partaking of cheap food supplies while reserving their serious money for ostentatious activities like drinking alcohol, consuming imported supplies and gyrating in discotheques.

Food was taken for granted and the plight of the peasant farmers was only given lip service. Many theorised on how they could be able to earn more and most proposals ended on paper.

The past three years have heralded a new dawn for the smallholder farmers in Uganda. Food prices have increased steadily and caused an outcry among the consumers. This has resulted into a high food inflation.

Food Inflation is in simple terms defined as an increase in the price of food.
Early this year (2022), you could buy A Kilogram of Posho at UGX 1500/=, eight months down the road, that same Kilogram costs UGX 3500/=.
You could buy a Kilogram of Beans at UGX 2000/=, eight months down the road, that same Kilogram costs UGX 4500/=.
Rice on average cost UGX 2,500/= a Kilogram then and today one can hardly get that Kilogram at less than UGX 4,000/=.
All this points to food inflation. The graph below shows the trends of food inflation in Uganda over the past four years and it is clear that the past two years have depicted a very sharp rise.

The consumer is definitely experiencing alot of pain in the process however, what is happening to the farmer? For once the farmer has an opportunity to enjoy decent returns from their food crops. The farm gate price of a number of food crops is equivalent to the urban retail price of the same produce a year ago. This implies that there is more money to be earned by the farmers hence having a positive impact on their livelihoods.
I have grown rice for over three decades but two months back, I registered the highest farm gate price for my produce when a Kilogram was bought at UGX 3600, a price point I used to reach after transporting it over 250Km to the capital city Kampala. What amused me most was the broken rice which also was bought at UGX 2,700, a price much higher than the one of the previous season when rice was averaging UGX 1,400 a Kilo.

The saying, One man’s meat is another man’s poison comes into play here. The poison to the consumers are the high prices while the meat to the farmers is the increasing prices. Could this be signalling a new era that is going to lead to a higher income class of smallholder farmers?

I respond in the affirmative. I cannot deny my happiness seeing the food inflation in place. Year in, year out, I see what the farmers go through and being one too, I have always prayed for the times to change so they start getting adequate reward for their toil. The writing is on the wall, with the ever increasing rural – urban migration, the need to supply food is growing. The opening up of global markets and improving value addition of our food crops is also positioning this country to be a key regional and global supplier of foods. This therefore indirectly extends the demand for the farmers’ produce beyond the national boundaries to markets that can pay even more.

Then the argument comes in, who actually makes the killing when prices rise? Is it the farmers or the middlemen? For every increment in consumer price, a conservative estimate indicates that not more than 30% goes directly to the producer. The rest is swallowed up by the supply chain.

I believe, at this point in time, effort should be put in ensuring the following among smallholder farmers;

  • The formation of farmer groups (product specific if possible)
  • Training on producing with the consumer in mind
  • Financial literacy
  • Facilitation of market access
  • Value addition

By tackling all or some of these, the incomes of these farmers are likely to extend beyond the current growth. I do foresee the farmer progressively earning more and have improved livelihoods as we head into the future and this is the time for anyone that has ever had interest in farming to join and partake of what is coming.

Farming is finally going to make alot of sense. What are you waiting for?

James Wire
Agribusiness & Technology Consultant
Twitter: @wirejames

1 Comment

Posted in Agriculture, Business, General

Tagged , , , ,