REPORT ON THE FIELD VISIT AND BARAZA HELD BY HONOURABLE MINISTER OF STATE FOR ANIMAL INDUSTRY COL. BRIGHT RWAMIRAMA WITH COMMUNITIES. Background: The Uganda Multi-Sectoral Food Security and Nutrition Project (UMFSNP) is being implemented, by the Government of Uganda through the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry, and Fisheries (MAAIF) working in a multi-sectoral collaboration with the Ministry of Health (MoH), Ministry of Education, Science Technology and Sports (MoESTS) and Ministry of Local Government. Bushenyi District is located in the southwestern part of Uganda with a current population of 234,443, of which 67,756 are children aged below 10 years. Despite being a food basket, Bushenyi district generally has high levels of malnutrition, it is to that effect that it was chosen to be among the 15 Districts in Uganda implementing Multi-Sectoral Food Security & Nutrition Project (UMFSNP). The major reason and underlying factor for high malnutrition levels in Bushenyi is limited dietary diversity (over dependence on plantains which have low nutritional values) and low consumption of micro-nutrient rich crops. The project is funded by Global Agricultural & Food Security Program (GAFSP) through the World Bank as a supervisory entity.  Bushenyi is among the 15 participating districts which are implementing UMFSNP. It has 100 participating primary schools, health centres and their surrounding communities. The project uses a school as an entry point to transfer knowledge and skills to both the pupils and community members.The project has been supporting delivery of multi-sectoral nutrition services at primary schools and communities through key community actors including LFs (lead farmers), VHTs (village health teams), LMs (lead mothers), PGs (parent groups) and school nutrition committee members. Objective of the visit:The District hosted a team of officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry & Fisheries and UMFSNP-Project Coordination Unit on 2nd July, 2020. The team will be led by the Hon. Col. Bright Rwamirama. The objective of the visit was to monitor progress in implementation of Uganda Multi-Sectoral Food Security & Nutrition Project (UMFSNP) and share implementation challenges with district leadership and beneficiary communities.The visit also considered emerging implementation challenges amidst COVID-19 pandemic. Field day findings and recommendations:The District hosted Hon. Minister of State for Animal Industry (MAAIF) escorted by technical officials from MAAIF and UMFSNP Project Coordination Unit. The team interacted with district leadership particularly, District Executive Committee/DEC and District Nutrition Coordination Committee/DNCC at district level. Thereafter, the team had a field visit and held meetings with communities around 2 schools and 1 health centre. Community meetings were held at Ntungamo Primary School in Ntungamo Ward, Bushenyi –Ishaka Municipality, Kihiire Primary School, in Kigombe Parish Kyabugimbi Sub County and Kyeizooba Health Centre in Kyeizooba Sub County.   The team visited the project beneficiaries and interacted with them appreciating benefits communities have got from the project and assessed implementation progress. The team noted the following:1.      Hon. Minister appreciated level of progress in implementation of project activities and expressed optimism in realization of project objectives.2.      He appreciated the level of integration of health activities into UMFSNP activities notably, nutrition and health education, support to child days, support towards promotion of maternal and child health and cookery demonstrations.3.      He appreciated the level of promotion of demonstration gardens (with micro-nutrient rich crops) at school and community level.     4.      Use of cookery demonstrations as a method of promotion of better nutrition practices at community level.5.      Hon. Minister interacted with project beneficiaries and he was happy with the level of understanding of the community members in project objectives and deliverables and were attesting of the benefits they have received including; planting materials of nutrient –rich crops, appropriate knowledge and best practices in nutrition and food security.   6.      In appreciation of the high level of community understanding of the project objectives, Hon. Minister donated 2 in-calf heifers to both Kihiire and Primary Schools to promote integration of utilization dairy products/milk in proper nutrition practices in schools and communities.7.      Cookery demonstration was conducted at Kihiire Primary school and the Hon. Minister used it to further inculcate the need of balanced diet in good nutrition for healthy communities. Complied by;    Baineomugisha David District project Coordinator Copy: Resident District Commissioner           District Chairperson