Gulu Cooperatives Lose Money To Fake Agricultural Deals.

GULU – Hundreds of cooperative farmers in Gulu district have lost millions of shillings to fake agricultural deals in the Agricultural Cluster Development Project (ACDP).

ACDP is a partner project of the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries and World Bank.

The project was rolled out in the country in 2017 to raise farm productivity, support value addition, widen market accessibility and capacity building for farmers.

The government mapped out 57 implementing districts in the geographic cluster with each cluster having a minimum of 5 districts and 150 million dollars was allocated for the project.

The 2020 report from Ministry of Agriculture indicates that up to shs 21.7 billion has so far been disbursed to support 111 farmer organizations in the 24 pilot districts.

https://thecooperator.news/masindi-youth-advised-to-form-cooperatives/

The districts include Amuru from Acholi Sub Region, Iganga from Central, Nebbi from West Nile Sub Region, Kalungu and Ntugamo from Western Uganda.

Gulu district among the implementing districts was aligned in cluster 6 with Oyam, Kole, Lira, Nwoya, Amuru and Apac to focus on maize, bean and Robusta coffee as enterprise crop selection.

In the arrangement, a beneficiary of the project is expected to meet 33% of project cost as the government provides 67% of services through an electronic voucher system.

However, whereas the project was designed within the National Development Plan III on poverty eradication; hundreds of farmers have lost millions of shillings to the project in Gulu district.

Moses Omony, the Chairperson Tidi Mamyero Farmers’ Cooperative in Bungatira Sub County alleged that the district has collected over shs 148 million from the different farmers but failed to provide the services.

Omony explained that each of the members was to get seeds, fertilizers, tents and other farm inputs in 2020, which have never been delivered as the district failed to account for the money collected.

Terencio Ocitti, a member of Pur Ber Cooperative Society, says he had paid Shs 148,500 for the fertilizers, seeds and tent but received none of the items for more than a year now.

“I have planted four hectares of beans without fertilizers and I can’t believe that the government can defraud us that way,” Ocitti told theCooperator in a recent interview.

Agnes Akwero, another farmer from Lawiyadul has expressed disappointment with the District Agricultural Department for failing the project whose objectives she says were beneficial.

Geoffrey Anywar, the Gulu District Agricultural Engineer distanced himself from the mess and blamed it on the project facilitators, whom he says were to identify the beneficiaries.

He disclosed that the lead project coordinator Simon Ocaka Lamex breached the project guidelines and collected an unspecified amount from the farmers and disappeared.

According to him, each of the farmers should have opened an account where a secret pin would be provided to deposit the money and then access the inputs from the government.

“The farmers didn’t follow the guidelines and opted for short cuts which we can’t tell how much money they have collected and lost to the facilitators,” Anywar said.

When summoned for three consecutive crisis meetings, Lamex admitted to collecting the money but asked the district to grant him time to look for the money and refund it.

The accused did not even disclose to the district officials on the number of the farmers he had reached out to and collected money from.

The district had set out a plan to auction his piece of land to recover the money within a period of two weeks as investigations into the number of the beneficiaries defrauded expanded.

Meanwhile, Christopher Opiyo Atekere, the Gulu district chairman similarly noted that the district has failed to access the password through which the farmers were registered.

According to the Agricultural Engineer, the district was to register about 5,000 farmers for the project while the paperwork is showing over 1,000 farmers have already been registered.

The Public Relations Manager for Ministry Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries Charlotte Kemigyisha says the ministry is already following up on the irregularities in the project.

“We have been informed about the project and we shall be in the district soon to follow up on the allegations,” Kemigyisha disclosed to theCooperator.

The 4 year-project was scheduled to end in March last year with a total of 193 farmers organizations targeted to benefit but it was extended by one year following Covid-19 pandemic.

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The post Gulu Cooperatives Lose Money To Fake Agricultural Deals. appeared first on The Cooperator News.

Gulu Cooperatives Lose Money To Fake Agricultural Deals.

GULU – Hundreds of cooperative farmers in Gulu district have lost millions of shillings to fake agricultural deals in the Agricultural Cluster Development Project (ACDP).

ACDP is a partner project of the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries and World Bank.

The project was rolled out in the country in 2017 to raise farm productivity, support value addition, widen market accessibility and capacity building for farmers.

The government mapped out 57 implementing districts in the geographic cluster with each cluster having a minimum of 5 districts and 150 million dollars was allocated for the project.

The 2020 report from Ministry of Agriculture indicates that up to shs 21.7 billion has so far been disbursed to support 111 farmer organizations in the 24 pilot districts.

https://thecooperator.news/masindi-youth-advised-to-form-cooperatives/

The districts include Amuru from Acholi Sub Region, Iganga from Central, Nebbi from West Nile Sub Region, Kalungu and Ntugamo from Western Uganda.

Gulu district among the implementing districts was aligned in cluster 6 with Oyam, Kole, Lira, Nwoya, Amuru and Apac to focus on maize, bean and Robusta coffee as enterprise crop selection.

In the arrangement, a beneficiary of the project is expected to meet 33% of project cost as the government provides 67% of services through an electronic voucher system.

However, whereas the project was designed within the National Development Plan III on poverty eradication; hundreds of farmers have lost millions of shillings to the project in Gulu district.

Moses Omony, the Chairperson Tidi Mamyero Farmers’ Cooperative in Bungatira Sub County alleged that the district has collected over shs 148 million from the different farmers but failed to provide the services.

Omony explained that each of the members was to get seeds, fertilizers, tents and other farm inputs in 2020, which have never been delivered as the district failed to account for the money collected.

Terencio Ocitti, a member of Pur Ber Cooperative Society, says he had paid Shs 148,500 for the fertilizers, seeds and tent but received none of the items for more than a year now.

“I have planted four hectares of beans without fertilizers and I can’t believe that the government can defraud us that way,” Ocitti told theCooperator in a recent interview.

Agnes Akwero, another farmer from Lawiyadul has expressed disappointment with the District Agricultural Department for failing the project whose objectives she says were beneficial.

Geoffrey Anywar, the Gulu District Agricultural Engineer distanced himself from the mess and blamed it on the project facilitators, whom he says were to identify the beneficiaries.

He disclosed that the lead project coordinator Simon Ocaka Lamex breached the project guidelines and collected an unspecified amount from the farmers and disappeared.

According to him, each of the farmers should have opened an account where a secret pin would be provided to deposit the money and then access the inputs from the government.

“The farmers didn’t follow the guidelines and opted for short cuts which we can’t tell how much money they have collected and lost to the facilitators,” Anywar said.

When summoned for three consecutive crisis meetings, Lamex admitted to collecting the money but asked the district to grant him time to look for the money and refund it.

The accused did not even disclose to the district officials on the number of the farmers he had reached out to and collected money from.

The district had set out a plan to auction his piece of land to recover the money within a period of two weeks as investigations into the number of the beneficiaries defrauded expanded.

Meanwhile, Christopher Opiyo Atekere, the Gulu district chairman similarly noted that the district has failed to access the password through which the farmers were registered.

According to the Agricultural Engineer, the district was to register about 5,000 farmers for the project while the paperwork is showing over 1,000 farmers have already been registered.

The Public Relations Manager for Ministry Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries Charlotte Kemigyisha says the ministry is already following up on the irregularities in the project.

“We have been informed about the project and we shall be in the district soon to follow up on the allegations,” Kemigyisha disclosed to theCooperator.

The 4 year-project was scheduled to end in March last year with a total of 193 farmers organizations targeted to benefit but it was extended by one year following Covid-19 pandemic.

Buy your copy of theCooperator magazine from one of our countrywide vending points or an e-copy on emag.thecooperator.news

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Masindi Youth Advised To Form Cooperatives

MASINDI – The member of parliament for Bujenje County Kenneth Kiiza Nyendwoha has called upon the youth in Masindi district to form cooperatives to enable them tap into support from the government.

“Unity is the way to go if you are to develop. Stop working in isolation and form cooperative groups to help you share ideas. When you’re united and organized, everyone will look for you,” Nyendwoha explained.

Nyendwoha was speaking during the ground breaking ceremony of the construction of a maize milling facility for Bujenje Maize Farmers Cooperative Society Limited at Bikonzi village in Bikonzi Sub County at the end of last week.

He also gave them Shs 1 million cash to help the cooperative smoothly run its activities.

The Cooperative which was formed by the youth in the area received Shs 167 million under Agriculture Cluster Development Program (ACDP) to enable them add value to their maize production.

According to their budget, Shs 86 million is for the construction of the structure to house the facility while Shs 67 million is for the procurement of the maize processing machine.

“The money was given under ACDP and the beneficiaries were tasked to write more proposals so that they can access further funding. Their proposal was appreciated and that’s why you are seeing them getting money today,” said Richard Kiiza the principal assistant secretary to the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO).

The members also contributed 33% which was one of the requisites for them to qualify for this funding.

Barbara Benya, the cooperative chairperson said, the facility is going to boost their income and also create market for maize in the area.

“We are going to use this chance to produce quality maize flour to enable us get enough market,” said Benya.

https://thecooperator.news/public-private-partnership-for-shea-value-addition/

Benya added that they’re currently 108 members adding that they started as a small association in 2018, after being organized by National Cooperatives Business Association (NCBA).

He also thanked Recreation for Development and Peace Uganda (RDPU), for giving them knowledge on how to make business plans to enable them start a small business enterprise.

RDPU is a youth-based organization that skills the youth in different areas in the districts of Masindi, Bulisa, Kikuube and Apac.

Benya said that the organization has helped them acquire leadership skills and knowledge on how to write business plans and proposals.

“This knowledge has helped us a lot to reach this stage,” the Chairperson added.

Cosmas Byaruhanga, the Masindi district LCV Chairman who also graced the function asked the members of the cooperative to resourcefully utilize the facility to add value to their maize.

“I am imploring you to make a brand. I don’t want to see you selling maize in a raw form and yet you would be getting money from other bi- products. I am also warning you against mismanaging this project. Make sure that you have clear record keeping, transparency and accountability,” said Byaruhanga.

He added that many cooperatives which are starting now are not celebrating their first birthday day because of lack of honesty among the leaders and the need to pay themselves.

“Being a leader in a cooperative is a sacrifice once you deviate from that, just know you’re heading for collapse,” Byaruhanga added.

Presiding over the function, Dominic Tibasimwa, the Deputy Resident District Commissioner (DRDC) Masindi promised to help more youths who are organized in groups and cooperatives to get support from the government.

The construction of the facility has already commenced and it will be supervised by Masindi district local government.

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Extension Officers Receive New Motorcycles

MASINDI – Masindi district has procured five brand new motorcycles in an effort to improve extension services and production in the district.

The UG Boss Motorcycles valued at Shs 31 million were procured using the agricultural extension grant and they are meant to facilitate the movement of the agricultural extension workers in the district.

While commissioning the motorcycles at the district headquarters on Thursday, the Deputy Resident District Commissioner (DRDC) Masindi, Dominic Tibasimwa explained that the motorcycles are meant to enable the sub county extension workers reach the farmers at their respective farms and advised them on the right agronomic practices.

https://thecooperator.news/unbs-reduces-cost-of-product-certification/

“This is part of the government’s strategy to improve and promote commercial farming in the country. We need to ensure that farmers get extension services since they are necessary. I also realize that transport for extension office has been a challenge,” explained Tibasimwa.

Dr Fredrick Ssebuguzi, the acting District Production Officer revealed that some agricultural extension workers in the district have been facing challenges of transport since they did not have motorcycles.

“The motorcycles will solve the problem and increase agricultural production in the district. This has been a great challenge but I am optimistic that my officers are now going to reach the farmers,” he said.

He explained that the motorcycles have been allocated to the extension workers for Bwijanga, Budongo, Kimengo and Miirya sub-counties adding that the District Animal Husbandry Officer was also allocated one.

Richard Kiiza, the district Principle Assistant Secretary who represented the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) cautioned the users against misusing the motorcycles to enable them serve the intended purpose.

Geoffrey Kiiza Bigabwa, the secretary for production, marketing and natural resources in the district hailed the government for the efforts it has put in transforming the country’s economy through improved agricultural production.

Extension officers in the district had been complaining over lack of transport to effectively execute their work.

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