Site survay in one of the farms at Bed Igen farmers group in Awiri, Apac

In partnership with www.netlabsug.org that will offer technical support, Enhancing the Reliability and Adoption of the Rural Community Broadband Network project will deploy a solar power source at the NURIN hub to run the network’s central equipment and keep the network available even when the grid power is off.

The project aims at expanding and enhancing the reliability and sustainability of the Rural Community Broadband Network that was established in Apac District, Northern Uganda, in 2023 and grow it from 12 to 13 members by adding an ICT hub.

Since the project also offers support to farmers groups, the project will give farmers access to agricultural information, marketplaces and short-term financing – providing much needed support to smallholder farmers in northern Uganda.

Agriculture is one of the largest income sources in Uganda, with approximately 90% of Ugandan households having found employment in the agriculture sector. With access to information through internet connectivity, farmers in the agriculture sector can produce even greater yield, while also gaining access to local markets.

With financial support from Internet Society, the project also plans to expand the RCBN by connecting one more partner, an ICT training center that will train members of the community. Deploy a knowledge portal on an existing server at the hub and also develop an IoT application for agriculture.