Heavy Rains And Hailstorms Batter Amolatar

AMOLATAR – Hailstorms and heavy rains have become more frequent and more intense in the northern district of Amolatar and have almost wiped out entire gardens in Nakatiti parish, Muntu Sub County.

Several homesteads are counting losses after heavy rains wiped out a would-be meager harvest last Friday, June 18.

The affected villages include; Kitaleba A in which about 120 households were affected.

At least 80 households were hardest hit in Kitaleba B and a few in Nakatiti.

Before last Friday’s hailstorm, Muntu Sub County, had been considered a safe option. It was one of the few sub counties in Amolatar district, which had not been battered by heavy rains and floods.

And some of the worst hit farmers had even hired gardens to grow crops there.

https://thecooperator.news/fire-razes-40-acres-of-cane-in-masindi/

Hellen Akullo, a 69-year-old widow and resident of Nakatiti village and Milly Acai, a widow looking after 10 orphans, were shocked to find all their crops swept away by the heavy rains.

They have since launched an appeal to the government to provide fast yielding seeds like beans, cassava and maize to plant in gardens ravaged by the storm.

Faith Adupa, a farmer who lost five Acres of sim sim and cassava, said the devastation may spur a spate of thefts since there’s no crop left to eat.

“I am afraid of a possible looming hunger because at the moment we have almost nothing in the garden, if nothing is done by the government over this matter, then we are gone,” she said.

Silvia Onono, who lost 15 chickens to the hailstorm, is happy that her animals survived because she had relocated them on June 17, a day before the storm, to another spot.

“God works in different ways. Imagine I used to tie my animals under this very tree which fell on the chicken house during the hailstorm. What if they were tied under the tree, they would all be dead by now,” Onono said.

Stella Ochan, the women’s affairs secretary for Nakatiti parish, called for government rescue packages.

Geoffrey Ocen, the Amolatar district chairperson, said the district’s disaster and preparedness committee is yet to assess the magnitude of the damage for onward reporting to the Prime Minister’s office.

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Lockdown: Criminal Gangs Terrorize Gulu

GULU – Livestock farmers in Gulu District are wrestling with a spate animal and poultry thefts carried out by criminal gangs taking advantage of the new lockdown announced on June 18 to slow the march of the raging Coronavirus in the country.

In the last one week, 80 goats, 25 pigs and 76 poultry have been stolen in Omel Sub County in Gulu District by criminal gangs.

Interviewed by theCooperator on Sunday, June 20, Walter Okello, the area LC-III Councilor for Omel Parish, said the most affected villages are Kuru and Akamdyang.

Okello said that in one week, a group of unknown people have raided the area and stolen food, animals and poultry.

https://thecooperator.news/2nd-lockdown-food-prices-double-in-gulu/

Most of the raids happen between 12:00 am and 3:00am. The attackers raid in gangs of five to nine people.

Okello however, appealed for the deployment of security forces in the area to protect livestock farmers from the machete wielding gangs.

He said the community members can’t pursue the criminal gangs because they are tied down by the 7pm to 5am curfew that restricts movement.

Patrick Okello, who has lost three goats, said about five people raided his home at night on June 19, locked him inside the house and took his animals.

King Justine Alex, another resident who equally lost 15 birds, said a similar group raided his pen and threatened to kill him when he confronted them.

Patrick Ogola, the area LC-I councilor, said an emergency security meeting will be held soon to discuss the security crisis in the area.

Aswa Regional Police however, said they are not aware of the raids.

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New Market Swells Demand For Mangoes in Gulu

GULU – Farmers in the northern district of Gulu District are happy about a new market at Gulu University Faculty of Agriculture that has swelled demand for mangoes.

The university’s faculty of Agriculture is piloting a mango juice processing project.

Every harvest cycle, mangoes in Acholi sub region have been low-priced commodities, owing to overproduction. A basin of mangoes in Gulu goes for as low as Shs 500 in the peak season.

However, on June 5, 2021, Gulu University’s Faculty of Agriculture with support from Operation Wealth Creation received a mobile mango juice processor from Makerere University, to process local mangoes, which always rot away due to low demand. The multi-million truck, which can process five tons of juice daily, is stationed at the faculty of Agriculture.

Monica Adyero, a farmer who used to sell her mangoes cheaply near Gulu University, said she is happy now that her mangoes are fetching a good price.

“Today I sold 75 kilograms of mangoes at Shs 15,000. I rarely got this amount when I sold at the roadside,” she said.

Adyero said her sales always ranged between Shs 5,000 to 10,000 in three days, but she has been able to earn Shs 30,000 in the same period, something she says makes her happy. “I just take my mangoes to the university and return home within a few minutes,” a beaming Adyero said.

“Before this machine was brought, I could take a minimum of half a day to sell a basin of mangoes, since other sellers would also be there,” she said.

https://thecooperator.news/build-factories-farmers-tell-owc/

Christine Akello, another mango seller, said she now chooses the time to sell her mangoes to the university because they are bought immediately.

“I now use the time I spent waiting for clients, who sometimes did not come, to do other chores,” she said. “It is a relief”, she added.

Dr. Collins Okello, the dean faculty of agriculture at the university, said they have processed 10,220 kilograms of pulp since the beginning of the pilot project out of 31,210 kilograms of mangoes bought within the last two weeks.

Dr. Okello said when the mango season ends; they will write a report which will determine whether the government invests in a fruit processing plant at the university.

“What we are doing is a commercial experiment. We know there are a lot of local mangoes around and a lot of them get spoilt. So, we wanted to know if it is viable for us to make juice out of these mangoes,” he said.

He said at the end of the pilot project, they will be able to know the storage needs, waste management requirements, human resource needed and the tons of fruits needed.

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Errant Boda-bodas Warned: You Will Be Banned

MASINDI – Errant Boda-bodas in Masindi District have been buffeted with warnings of the risks of flouting the presidential lockdown directives meant to slow the spread of Covid-19.

Iddi Onyera, the chairman of Masindi Motorcycle Operators Association (MAMOA), has said errant Boda-boda riders will be banished from working in the district.

“I therefore ask these errant Boda-bodas to ensure that they comply with the directives,” Onyera told journalists recently at his office in Masindi town, days after the president announced a 42-day lockdown.

Boda riders, according to the new directive, are not supposed to carry passengers. They will carry only luggage and must be off-the-road by 5pm.

The president said defaulters will not be incarcerated but fined this time round.

https://thecooperator.news/aduku-council-boss-warns-boda-boda-riders/

“We have started moving from stage to stage to ensure that the guidelines are enforced,” he added.

He also warned that non-compliant riders risk paying hefty fines.

Linus Wobusozi, a boda rider at travelers’ stage, welcomed the association’s hard stance. He said individual riders will also enforce the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

Joseph Tumusiime, the chairperson travelers’ corner boda-boda stage, said thorough sensitization must to be done before the SOPs are strenuously enforced.

“Some clients are adamant. For them they think we’re the only ones to follow the SOPs. At least thorough sensitization must be done before implementation is done,” Tumusiime appealed.

At least 95% of the people in Masindi town are putting on masks and are washing their hands.

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Lira Vendors Protest Eviction

LIRA – Vendors in Lira City have continued to rally against their eviction from the streets.
On June 17, city authorities resolved to suspend street vending because it draws crowds, which are super spreaders of Covid-19.

The vendors have been asked to secure stalls inside city markets or find other confined places to operate without attracting large crowds.
Patrick Ogweng, the Lira deputy City Clerk, said suspension of street vending is in compliance with the presidential directives against big gatherings.
“The president made it very clear that you wash hands and sanitize before entering the market. Now what happens to somebody shopping or vending by the roadside, which is not a gazzeted market?” he asked.

“I think by allowing street vending to continue, we shall be acting in defiance of the presidential directive,” he added.
Most street vendors however, are not willing to leave the streets.

https://thecooperator.news/rising-layoffs-worry-nwoya-casual-workers/

Interviewed, Chris Ongom, the chairperson Lira Street Vendors Association, suggested vendors should be relocated to the veranda of the main market instead of suspending their operation.
“During this lockdown life is a priority, but the idea of suspending our operation is unfair because it will do us more harm than good. I am suggesting that vendors should instead be relocated to the veranda of the main market,” he said in a telephone interview.

Mercy Akello, an avocado seller along Noteber Road, said city authorities have no justification to chase them from the streets because they were never allocated a designated business premise in the first place.

According to her, city authorities should provide an alternative location lucrative for business before asking them to leave their current position.

Jackie Akello argued that evicting vendors will not only disrupt their livelihoods but also expose them to greater risk of catching the Coronavirus since markets are more crowded than the streets.

“We are not going to the main market, you know how busy it is, if the Lira City Authority has no other options of getting a safer place for us, then it’s upon them but we are going nowhere,” she said.
Erick Ongom, a shoe vendor along Obote Avenue, argued that getting them off the streets is not a solution to Covid-19. He said they religiously observe the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

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Victims of Flooding in Kwania Get Food

KWANIA – At least 757 displaced people in Nambieso Sub County in Kwania District whose houses and property were destroyed by extreme flooding last December have received relief food.

Last December, over 1,800 families in the two Sub Counties of Nambieso and Chawente were washed out by extreme flooding when Lake Kwania burst its banks, destroying houses and property.

However, on June 17 district leaders in Kwania distributed 74 bags of beans and 144 bags of maize flour to the flood victims in the parishes of Bung, Ogwil, Ayabi, Anwangi, Acaba, Owiny and Aornga, in Nambieso Sub County.

https://thecooperator.news/lango-cooperatives-hit-hard-by-kenya-maize-ban/

The consignment is part of the 100 bags of beans, 200 bags of maize flour, 500 blankets and 300 pieces of tarpaulins that were sent to the district recently by the office of the Prime Minister.

Albina Awor, the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) of Kwania district, said the tarpaulins and blankets will be given out to the most affected victims. He said part of the consignment will be given to families in Chawente Sub County that missed out during the first distribution.

“The floods ravaged a number of villages and left many starving. I went to the Prime Minister’s office begging for help. Part of these items will be distributed to some of your colleagues from Chanwente Sub County,” she said.

Nambieso Sub County Chief, Juliet Atoo, warned the beneficiaries against selling the food items. Feed your families, she said.

A number of residents who received 16 kilograms of maize flour, and nine kilograms of beans lauded the government for giving them a ray of hope amidst all the distress caused by flooding.

Benson Ogwok and James Atim, both residents of Nambieso Sub County, said most families could barely afford a meal or a place to sleep after losing all their property to floods.

“We thank the government for coming in, however we are requesting to be helped with building materials such as iron sheets and cement so that we can construct structures that are resistant to future disasters,” James Atim, one resident said.

Districts near the shores of Lake Victoria, Kyoga and Lake Kwania have continued to battle flood related challenges. Sam Cheptori, the Minister of Water and Environment, attributes the rising lake water levels to prolonged rainfall in the catchment area of the lake sitting in Uganda and East African countries namely Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi.

According to the minister, Lake Victoria water levels are increasing and are likely to surpass the highest mark ever of 13.42 meters, hit in May 1965.

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Covid-19 Stirs Scramble For Lemon, Ginger

HOIMA – Lemon and ginger prices are climbing higher in Hoima as demand soars for the fruits deemed to have immunity-boosting properties against the rampaging novel Coronavirus.

There have been more than 72,679 confirmed cases of Covid-19. The virus has killed more than 680 people, according to the June 19 official statistics from the Ministry of Health.

Interviewed for this story, Annette Murungi, a lemon seller in Hoima Central Market, said demand for lemons in the district has outstripped supply.

She said lemons are bought from Gwedo sub-county in Buliisa District but when the ban on inter-district movement came into effect on June 10, traders in Hoima couldn’t replenish their supplies.

She noted that transporting a sack of lemon from Buliisa to Hoima is too expensive because police officers lean on the Covid-19 restrictions to extort money from traders.

She said one big lemon costs about Shs 2,000 and a small one costs Shs 1,000.

https://thecooperator.news/beans-rot-in-omoro-as-second-lockdown-bites/

James Murungi, a ginger and garlic trader, said demand for the two has soared.

According to him, ginger and garlic supplies come from Kampala but that stopped after the ban on inter-district movement. He said a cluster of ginger costs Shs 3,000 up from Shs 1000. He added that a cluster of garlic now costs Shs 5,000 up from Shs 2,000.

Julius Ayesiga, the Hoima Central Vendors Association chairman, said the price for a sack of ginger has climbed from Shs 200, 000 to Shs 500,000. He said a sack of lemon has climbed from Shs 60,000 to Shs 300,000.

He added that transporting such produce to the market is very difficult and suppliers who manage to sneak their products into the district end up hiking the prices.

“Prices had to increase since such fruits are not produced in Bunyoro region and the movement from one district to another is not easy yet there is a growing demand from the population,” he said.

Peter Mwesigwa, a resident in Hoima town, said, “I have been using lemons and ginger to boost the immunity of my family but I cannot manage to buy them because I am a low income earner, I tell you lemon fruits are going to remain for the rich families,” he cried out.

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Gulu Opportunistic Pig Farmers Under Attack

GULU – Across northern Uganda, Marcelo Peter Okwonga is pitching a switch to a more sustainable pig farming model to get rid of the many opportunistic small holder farmers.

Interviewed recently in Gulu City, Okwonga, the chairman of Northern Uganda Pig Farmers Cooperative Society, said, “One can actually close a pig farm by walking in and buying all the pigs. This happens because of lack of sustainability and management plans.”

“Most of the small holder farmers we have in the region are opportunists who keep one or two pigs to sell off when prices are high,” he added.

https://thecooperator.news/farmers-in-tears-after-suspension-of-livestock-markets/

He said using the 60 member cooperative, spread out across the districts of Kitgum, Pader, Amuru, Lira, Omoro, Gulu, Nwoya, Oyam and Adjumani, they are working to dump the opportunistic model.

“We are foreseeing that when farmers come together, we can make sustainable production. We are looking at producing high quality and quantity. When we have this in place, we will then look at producing branded products like live pigs at the required weight, slaughtering and selling processed products like bacon, sausage and pork chops,” he said.

Okwonga said the cooperative recently purchased 11 Holland improved pigs from a breeder in Mpigi, which they are multiplying on his farm in Akurukwe, Amuru District.

He said that in eight months, they will have 160 pigs and will be accessible to members.

Okwonga also noted that many of the households engaged in piggery in the region do not mind about quality.

“We want people engaged in piggery to do it sustainably and be motivated to invest in the pig industry,” he said.

Alice Oyuku, a small-scale pig farmer in Pece-Laroo Division, Gulu City, said she keeps pigs mainly to sustain her family.

“I have taken care of my five children using these pigs. Buyers especially pork dealers know me so they come to my home and buy, I don’t have to look for the market,” she said.

Oyuku keeps about five pigs at a time and usually sells off piglets to ease the pressure on her small Sty.

Josephine Adiyo, a pig breeder in Aywer cell in Pece-Laroo Division, Gulu City, said, “Ready-made feeds are very expensive on the market and when I resort to making my own, I usually end up missing out something because I don’t know the formula.”

Adiyo, who also doubles as the treasurer of Northern Uganda Pig Farmers Cooperative Society, said most pig buyers are interested in mature pigs, which they sell off as pork.

“Last year, I was forced to castrate my piglets because there was no market yet they were growing and needed more feeds and space. Before Covid-19, there was ready market for piglets,” she said.

Adiyo however, wants to start large scale pig breeding once the market becomes stable.

“Right now, I produce about 40 piglets every half a year but I want to be able to produce 200 every year,” she said.

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Gulu Opportunistic Pig Farmers Under Attack

GULU – Across northern Uganda, Marcelo Peter Okwonga is pitching a switch to a more sustainable pig farming model to get rid of the many opportunistic small holder farmers.

Interviewed recently in Gulu City, Okwonga, the chairman of Northern Uganda Pig Farmers Cooperative Society, said, “One can actually close a pig farm by walking in and buying all the pigs. This happens because of lack of sustainability and management plans.”

“Most of the small holder farmers we have in the region are opportunists who keep one or two pigs to sell off when prices are high,” he added.

https://thecooperator.news/farmers-in-tears-after-suspension-of-livestock-markets/

He said using the 60 member cooperative, spread out across the districts of Kitgum, Pader, Amuru, Lira, Omoro, Gulu, Nwoya, Oyam and Adjumani, they are working to dump the opportunistic model.

“We are foreseeing that when farmers come together, we can make sustainable production. We are looking at producing high quality and quantity. When we have this in place, we will then look at producing branded products like live pigs at the required weight, slaughtering and selling processed products like bacon, sausage and pork chops,” he said.

Okwonga said the cooperative recently purchased 11 Holland improved pigs from a breeder in Mpigi, which they are multiplying on his farm in Akurukwe, Amuru District.

He said that in eight months, they will have 160 pigs and will be accessible to members.

Okwonga also noted that many of the households engaged in piggery in the region do not mind about quality.

“We want people engaged in piggery to do it sustainably and be motivated to invest in the pig industry,” he said.

Alice Oyuku, a small-scale pig farmer in Pece-Laroo Division, Gulu City, said she keeps pigs mainly to sustain her family.

“I have taken care of my five children using these pigs. Buyers especially pork dealers know me so they come to my home and buy, I don’t have to look for the market,” she said.

Oyuku keeps about five pigs at a time and usually sells off piglets to ease the pressure on her small Sty.

Josephine Adiyo, a pig breeder in Aywer cell in Pece-Laroo Division, Gulu City, said, “Ready-made feeds are very expensive on the market and when I resort to making my own, I usually end up missing out something because I don’t know the formula.”

Adiyo, who also doubles as the treasurer of Northern Uganda Pig Farmers Cooperative Society, said most pig buyers are interested in mature pigs, which they sell off as pork.

“Last year, I was forced to castrate my piglets because there was no market yet they were growing and needed more feeds and space. Before Covid-19, there was ready market for piglets,” she said.

Adiyo however, wants to start large scale pig breeding once the market becomes stable.

“Right now, I produce about 40 piglets every half a year but I want to be able to produce 200 every year,” she said.

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2nd Lockdown: Food Prices Double in Gulu

GULU – People in Gulu are struggling to feed their families as food prices soar, spurred largely, by the second national lockdown and ban on inter-district movement and cattle markets.

Essential food prices and commodities have nearly doubled, according to people interviewed for this story.

In Gulu Main Market, the price of about 65 to 70 pieces of ginger, measuring a little less than four inches each, have soared to Shs 200,000 up from Shs 130,000.

A kilogram of garlic goes for Shs 7,000 up from Shs 2,200 while watermelons have disappeared from the shelves.

Meanwhile, a kilogram of beef (meat) which sold for Shs 12,000 before the lockdown has climbed to between Shs 14,000 and Shs 16,000.

Jackie Adure, a market vendor at Gulu Main Market told theCooperator in a recent interview that, “We have lost supplies from Kampala but the problem again is that our local farmers haven’t taken advantage here to produce them,” Adure explained.

Patrick Omona, the vice chairman Gulu City Livestock and Butchery Cooperative Saving and Credit, said they have decided to increase the price to make some profit.

Omona said the least a cow costs on the market is Shs 1 million.

https://thecooperator.news/farmers-in-tears-after-suspension-of-livestock-markets

“We were operating at a loss because we would only get about Shs 900,000 from the sale of meat, which is much lower than what we spend to buy it,” Omona said.

Geoffrey Akera, a butcher at Lacor trading Centre, said the closure of auctions largely to curtail the spread of the coronavirus has cut off supplies of animals for slaughter.

Jenifer Oyella, a food vendor in Laroo, said the current food prices in the markets have affected her restaurant business.

“I attempted to increase the prices of my local dishes and suddenly I lost customers and now I have suspended the operation until the situation becomes normal,” Oyella added.

Surprisingly, while prices of other commodities have nearly doubled in the district, beans prices have dipped.

At Cereleno Market in Gulu City, a kilogram of beans dropped by Shs 500 from Shs 2,500 while a bag of beans in the villages has fallen from Shs 180,000 to Shs 130,000 currently.

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