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http://musabulicentreforsustainableliving.blogspot.com

Primary Contact Information	Kogere Village Guest Farm Contact: Ms. Naome Kisembo, +256 (0)774337500
Brief Description ·      Kogere Village Guest Farm (Banda : accommodation) ·      Campsite ·      Community Farm & Training Centre ·      Organic Restaurant ·      Craft Shop, internet cafe	The project operates in Rukoki, Kasese District. The guest farm and proposed community garden is just off the Kasese-Fort Portal Highway, 5km North of Kasese Town and South of Rwenzori Mountains National Park (RMNP) Headquarters. -The project focuses on conservation and livelihood improvement.  Conservation interventions include sensitization of members and non-members about the importance of protecting the national park and the wildlife through environmentally friendly business practices like recycling and holistic use of products.  Livelihood improvement interventions are primarily tourism and organic farming activities. -Currently, the Kogere Village Guest Farm has 4 not-self contained twin bandas and 2 non-self contained single rooms available for accommodation. The organization hoped to hire locals to staff the restaurant and hotel, but the curator died along with internal revenue to do so. -The organization hopes to call interested people together to start a community farm organization to grow organic food to sell to hoteliers that cater to foreign visitors. The organization also hopes the community farm will be the start of a holistic training centre where households are trained in conservation, organic farming techniques, health, savings, computers and internet, life skills, and others. -Tourism management is uncoordinated, price for each product not established and no clear mechanism for managing service delivery.
Potential Community Development and/or Conservation Support ·   How will this product support community development? ·   How will this product support conservation?	Increase household income generation from selling organic food Increase knowledge of new farming techniques Increase nutrition and food security among the members Increase exposure to new cultures, people, and foods Strengthen governance and community development Increases appreciation and protection of protected areas and wildlife Increase positive activities for youth Increase knowledge through industrial training for hotel schools
Target Markets ·   Who would this product be sold to?	Lodge Eco-friendly, responsible, sustainable tourism, or budget travelers Local and international Visitors Tour operators Farm ·         Community members in Rukoki & Musabul ·         Hoteliers in the area
Potential Partners ·   Principal organization ·   Support organizations	·         Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA)-Queen Elizabeth National Park (QENP), RMNP ·         Local Governments – Kasese District Local Governments ·         Tour Operators – focus on operators that take visitors to RMNP or QENP or operators interested in green or sustainable tourism ·         Hoteliers- Equator Snow, RMS, Ruboni Community Rest Camp, Turaco, Margharita Hotel, White House, and others ·         Non-governmental Organizations – NAADS, KURIKA, DENIVA, EcoTrust, US Peace Corps ·         Private Good Samaritans- RobTex Enterprises Kasese ·         Associations of local communities specializing in craft making, cultural dancing, guiding, or other tourism focused groups.
Mechanism	The land is already secured and the area is demarcated. The community farm organization will draft a constitution, and elect executive committee. Members will register as households and pay membership fees. Then some members will need to familiarize themselves with similar projects through study tours (Masaka &Bwindi). With the help of an expert designer or agriculturalist, the group will plan community farm layout (include farm house and store). The group will acquire a volunteer/consultant for advice on organic farming. The group acquires seeds and began cultivating and planting. Alongside the community farm maturation,   Kogere  guest farm will make a proposal for organic restaurant and solicit for funds. Once the farm and/or lodge is finished and nursery functional, the group will invite community to see to enlist more members. Community Farm leaders will inspect members’ farms and consult where necessary. Meetings will then be held to discuss food collection and selling of food stuffs. A Familiarization trip will be organized for Hoteliers and tour operators to visit the Kogere Village Guest Farm and community farm. After this familiarization trip, the community farm group will start selling and delivering food stuffs to hoteliers and supplying own restaurant. Lodge, Internet Café and Community Training Centre will open.

SWOT

Strength Have Land for community farm and lodge Have buildings for lodge & farm Have area for camping and events Latrines and bathing facilities Have a 4WD vehicle Water & Power connected Have 2 computers Incomplete Restaurant building Good Security Acceptance/Support in community Eco-friendly Vision Business Plan

Weakness Lack of knowledge in organizational management, organic farming, marketing, computer, internet, and accounting. Lack of knowledge to interpret and put business plan into action Limited understanding of the industry Lack internal revenue mobilization Location-not known area for tourism Self-maintained road Restaurant incomplete Low standard of Banda

Opportunity Selling tropical food to Hoteliers is a unique product in the area Budget and eco-friendly Travelers enjoy the place Researchers or long-term visitors could easily be accommodated Interest tourists to come see where their organic food comes from (value addition) Game Drives/Private Hire of Vehicle Access to volunteers and NGOs in the area Lodge & farm located on tourism route between QENP and RMNP

Threat Limited income generating activities within the community Loss of member participation due to sickness or disease Poor food yields due to poor seed quality, soil preparation, or inclement weather Local and National Security Risks