Agro-input Dealers Tap Into SMS Marketing

LIRA – Agriculture is among the most hit sectors since Covid-19 emerged two years ago. President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni recently announced a lockdown as a mitigating factor to curb the spread of the deadly virus with the country enduring wave after wave.

The second lockdown announced in June for 42 days came to an end this weekend. Since the pronouncement by President Museveni, like other sectors, farmers are stuck with their products.

The suspension of public transport, especially buses, had curtailed the movement of farmers from district to district. Ronald Odongo, a farmer used to enjoy the inter-district market.

For example, a dairy farmer from Kwania would sell their milk in major towns including Lira, Apac and Dokolo among others and earn more. Though it is still possible, the amount of milk such a farmer will sell today has reduced majorly because their market is under lockdown.

Every bad situation creates opportunities; Peter Odongo is among the latter, he is an agro input retail dealer based in Kwania district, who deals in seeds for vegetables and cereals, plus fertilizers, pesticides and fungicides and other agro-chemicals.

Odongo gives advice to clients on the best way to use the products for better yields. To reach the customers and to alert his 143 regular clients, when the new stock arrives, he sends them phone messages (SMS).

“I am using an SMS marketing strategy and this is all about marketing genuine products to customers as well as help them know where to get the stock and at what price,” he said.

“From between Shs 70,000 to shs 100,000 shillings profit I used to make on a daily basis, the SMS strategy has boosted my profit to about shs 200,000 from the stock I sell,” he adds.

Another input dealer Joyce Aceng not only sells her products through the texts sent to customers but also sends them appreciations or reminders. She uses MTN Pakapaka to send messages.

She noted that when she started using SMS marketing, her sales improved by 50%.

https://thecooperator.news/gulu-cooperatives-lose-millions-of-shillings-to-fake-agricultural-deals/

“When I started the business three years ago, I would not sell even 10 bags of fertilizers, for instance, in a season yet they were the most wanted by farmers. After adopting SMS marketing, my sales improved and I now sell more than 30 bags in a day,” she reveals.

“I not only use SMS but also advertise on radio because some farmers have no mobile phones but have radios. This has also increased the customer base. ” she added, saying she started with a capital of Shs1.5m and raised it to Shs 6m. Currently, she values the business at shs 30m inclusive of expenses.

The net profits have increased from shs 1m to shs 3m. If business goes well, in the next five years, Aceng expects the net profit to hit shs10m.

Johnson Ojok Ocen, the district Production and Marketing Officer Kwania, also an agronomist explains that:

“Instead of standing behind counters waiting for customers, the dealers actively engage in marketing and promotion by using SMS or radios in order to sell the products to farmers and that is a very good idea that others should borrow,” he said in a phone interview.

Kwania District Commercial Officer, Patrick Bura says; “We know that SMS is a powerful tool that is used by almost everyone but agricultural input businesses were not taking advantage of it. I want to encourage agro-inputs dealers to use SMS for marketing,” he notes.

Selling farm inputs, is a growing business that an increasing number of people in Uganda are engaged in. But it is also a business known to have counterfeits and unscrupulous traders, though there are also several traders who strictly deal in genuine products.

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Amolatar returns Shs 2.3 billion to treasury, draws mix reactions

AMOLATAR – Residents in Amolatar district have had mixed reactions to the failure by the Amolatar district local government to use Shs 2.3 billion in the financial year 2020/2021.

Public Finance Management Act 2015 Section 17 (2) stipulates that a local government vote that does not spend money that was appropriated to the vote for the financial year shall at the close of the financial year, repay the money to the Consolidated Fund.

Amolatar returned Shs 2.3 billion, part of Shs 1.2 billion meant for construction projects at Biko Health Center III in Namasale Town Council and Awonangiro Health Center III in Agikdak Sub County.

Part of the money was meant for salaries of secondary school teachers that were not recruited and other civil servants whose recruitment had issues delaying their appointment letter issuance.

Meanwhile, Shs 300 million was meant for construction works at Ryan Seed Sec School in Etam Town Council.

Henry Ddamba, the Amolatar Chief Administrative Officer [CAO] confirmed returning the fund to the consolidated fund, attributing it to delays in the procurement process and late release of funds by the central government.

“As a district, we returned to the treasury a total of Shs 2.3 billion and that is not a good statistic because these funds are supposed to be given to us to spend but we were not able to spend, and the challenge has been a delay in procurement,” he said.

Returning the fund to the consolidated fund has drawn mixed reactions. Nelson Kinyera, a resident of Nalibwoyo village in Namasale Sub County, expressed disappointment upon returning the fund.

Kinyera noted that a number of health facilities are operating on rundown structures at the expense of incompetent leaders who can not utilize government money within the given time frame.

“It’s not the first time Amolatar is returning money to the treasury, this is the third time in a row that we are seeing money being returned to the consolidated fund at the expense of the service delivery gaps in the community,” he noted.

Another resident Mariam Yusufu of Apalipe cell in Amolatar town council blames the failure to use the fund to `kickback’ demands from contractors by the procurement teams.

She says cases of child maternal deaths are surging in the community and urged the district leaders to take steps to end this trend.

Interviewed by theCooperator on Thursday, Amolatar District Chairman Geoffrey Ocen, lashed out at the contractor that was given the contract to rehabilitate health facilities for being incompetent.

“The problem is that the contractor awarded the project is undertaking quite a number of projects that overwhelms his efforts; I will ensure the same scenario doesn’t repeat itself for effective service delivery,” he said in an interview.

End.

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Fishing Community On Lake Albert Cries For Help

HOIMA – Fishermen on Lake Albert in Hoima and Kikuube districts have appealed to the government to intervene into the continued attacks by Congolese militiamen.

Fishermen on shores of Lake Albert have been on tension since 2018 due to endless attacks by militia from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Several fishermen who operate on this Lake have been left jobless as the armed robbers wreak havoc and seize their fishing gears and other property.

Shalom Elderphose, one of the victims of the attackers at Kaiso landing site in Buseruka sub-county Hoima district says that militiamen have turned robbery on the lake into a business.

Elderphose who lost 12 boat engines and other fishing gears worth more than Shs 200 million to militia two months ago explained that they feel helpless since the government has totally failed to end the attacks.

He explained that every month the militiamen raid different landing sites on the lake and whenever they attack, they rob their properties which include boat engines, fish and fishing nets and even abduct their colleagues.

“After the robbery, these militiamen ask for ransom to give us back our fishing gear yet most fishermen have no money to pay. The robbers always demand between USD 300 to USD 500 for each boat engine in their hands and we have nowhere to get this money” said Elderphos.

“It looks like we do not have a government, yet we know that we have one with a powerful army, so as fishermen we request President Museveni to intervene by engaging the DR Congo government to address the rampant attacks on Ugandan fishermen,” he appealed.

https://thecooperator.news/fishermen-shot-by-congolese-militiamen/

He also asked security agencies in the region to deploy on the lake so that they can at least patrol the waters three times a week to scare away the robbers. This can be a temporary measure as they seek lasting solution to the problem.

Robert Mujuni, the Chairperson of the fishing community at Kaiso landing site in Buseruka, sub-county, Hoima district, said that last month armed men raided the area and robbed equipment which included 14 boat engines, fishing nets and fish among other things.

He noted that the continued attacks have turned the fishermen jobless and poor since fishing is the main sauce of their income. He added that the attackers are demanding a lot of money to return the fishing vessels.

“For them, they take it as a business, they always come and invade us, take our motorboats, and fishing nets. They later demand for a ransom of between US 300 and USD 500 yet our fishermen have nowhere to get this kind of money,” Mujuni said, adding that more than 100 boat engines are in hands of the DRC militia because the fishermen failed to raise money to pay for their ransom.

He noted that cross-border meetings have been held several times but they have yielded nothing which continues to worry them.

“Whenever we complain to security agencies in the region about the issue, they tell us that they have forwarded the issue to their bosses but since 2018 nothing has changed, actually it has become a song.”

He demanded for the deployment of security forces on lake shores to provide fishermen with security.

“They should have patrols on these waters because when the thieves know that there is security patrolling the waters, they don’t come but due to lack of patrols they take advantage knowing that people are not protected,” he said.

Byaruhanga Serimosi, a fisherman who carries out his fishing business at Nsunzi landing site in Buhuka parish, Kyangwali sub-county Kikuube district said that the security at the lake has been taken over by the DRC militiamen. Byaruhanga is one of the fishermen who survived being killed last month after the assailants raided their boat, shot and injured them.

He noted that many of his colleagues have abandoned the fishing business because of this situation, adding that the assailants invaded them more than five times a month.

“We have been left as orphans, we have cried to our good government to save us from this situation since 2018 but our plea falls on deaf ears,” he said, adding that whenever they attack, they rob their fishing gear and boat engine.

While giving the State of the Kingdom address last month, the Kingdom Prime Minister Andrew Byakutaga also expressed concern over the endless attacks on fishermen and demanded the government to intervene.

He noted that attacks and poor fishing methods by illegal entrants in the kingdom have affected the livelihood of the Kingdom subjects on the shores of Lake Albert.

“Our people have no other alternative source of livelihood for their families since all their fishing gears are always robbed by these militias. This government has the capacity to put this to an end so why should our people continue to suffer in the hands of the criminals?” he wondered.

“We have seen these attacks since 2018. Why can’t the government deploy its army to deal with these criminals if the government of Democratic Republic Congo has failed to control its army men who have turned into a challenge to the Ugandan fishermen?” he added.

He said that as fishermen they are ready to join the government if it means to attack the militiamen in their hideouts in DR Congo.

It is alleged that ruthless militiamen, after their mission, took off and crossed to Joo landing site in Bunia district Ituri Province in the Eastern part of the DR Congo.

Hoima District Chairperson Kadiri Kirungi, said that the issue of attacks is a cross border matter which needs the president’s intervention.

He said that he recently reported the issues to President Museveni who in turn, sent a team from State House who held a stakeholder meeting that took place in Hoima early this year but the team has not given him feedback.

The Hoima Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Yosam Tumwebaze says that the issue was beyond him but promised to consult his boss about the matter.

“I found this issue here; it is not new but we shall engage our marine forces to get a way of patrolling the waters to provide security to our people as we make consultations to find a way of ending this challenge,” he said.

Kikuube Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Amlan Tumusiime, condemned the continued attacks on Ugandan fishermen and expressed concern that fishermen are suffering as if they are not in their country.

He also promised to have consultations with his boss to ensure that they organize cross-border meeting with their counterparts from the DRC government to get a way of addressing the continued attacks and robberies on Ugandan waters of Lake Albert.

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Teachers Urged To Join Walimu SACCO

SERERE – Teachers in Pingire County, Serere district have been asked to join the Walimu Savings and Credit Cooperative Organization (SACCO), a savings scheme established by the government of Uganda with the aim of improving teachers’ lives across the country.

From 2015 to date, the government of Uganda has so far injected Shs 17.8 billion into Walimu SACCO.

According to Fred Opolot, the Member of Parliament for Pingire County, the fund that teachers get through the SACCO helps them to establish individual income-generating projects. He said, this in-turn improves on their efficiency since they won’t live in fear of being chased by financial institutions over unpaid loans.

Opolot made these remarks on Monday during the award ceremony of best performers in the 2020 Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE). Each of the seven candidates who passed in first grade was rewarded with a mattress, woolen blanket, bucket and a dozen of counter books.

Opolot urged teachers to join the Walimu SACCO so that they can get other government opportunities to boost their financial capacities.

https://thecooperator.news/financial-banking-institutions-tipped-on-inclusion/

He stressed that it is an urgent cause because teachers have been involved in multiple loan borrowing from money lenders, something that has made them not to perform in class due to the fear of being arrested.

“I will start the initiative of training teachers on the importance of financial discipline and good finances management because we have observed that many of them take multiple loans that end up affecting their performance in schools,” Opolot said.

Opolot noted that improved financial management by teachers will make them economically stable and boost their teaching morale hence contributing to better performance in schools.

He explained that multiple loan borrowing is one of the main factors keeping teachers out of schools.
He said some teachers have opted for Boda-boda work at the expense of teaching with the aim of looking for ways of repaying loans.

“The issue of teachers having multiple loans affects their performance as this makes them unsettled at their schools. They are always looking through the windows to check if loan officers are coming. This for many years has affected us, as a district,” the legislator said.

Opolot observed that teachers are not enjoying their work because their minds are disturbed with loan issues as many of them have become addicted to borrowing.

Meanwhile, Michael Okiror, the headteacher of Pingire Primary School said that teachers first need to be sensitized on the importance of joining the Walimu SACCO.

“Whenever it comes to loans, headteachers realize it when banks invade schools to know about the presence of teachers who borrowed from them. They have local SACCOs but those who do not want to save, are the ones who borrow loans from money lenders without first seeking for advice,” Okiror said.

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MSC Board Chairman Commends Masindi Authorities

MASINDI – Emmanuel Kiiza Aliba, the new chairman board of Microfinance Support Centre (MSC) has commended Masindi district authorities for the proper implementation of the Emyooga program.

Aliba is in Bunyoro sub-region on a fact-finding mission, to see how the Emyooga program is preforming.

Yesterday, he had an impromptu closed-door meeting at the Resident District Commissioners (RDC) office with a section of Masindi district leaders including Rose Kirabira, the RDC, Pamela Nyakato Secretary for Finance, Moses Kalyegira the District Commercial Officer (DCO) and the Municipal Commercial Officer.

“He came with the impression that the money had been disbursed but still stuck on the district accounts. But he was surprised to find that Masindi district had given out 98% of the money to the beneficiaries. He told those in attendance of the meeting that in other districts in the region, they have given out only 10% to the beneficiaries. He took it as a success for Masindi,” explained Moses Kalyegira, the Masindi District Commercial Officer while speaking to theCooperator in his office on Tuesday.

Kalyegira noted that Masindi district received Shs 1.68 billion, adding that Shs 1.48 billion has been disbursed to 54 Savings and Credit Cooperative Organizations (SACCOs) which were formed in the entire district to benefit from the program.

https://thecooperator.news/nine-saccos-cleared-to-receive-emyooga-funds-in-masindi/

He also explained that Shs 536 million has been realized as savings from the 54 SACCOs and Shs 130 million has been recovered from the beneficiaries.

“We would be doing better than this but we have been disrupted by the lockdown and the long dry spell we have experienced because many people have made losses. But I am optimistic that when the situation normalizes, we are going to do much better than this,” Kalyegira said.

He also indicated that they have a challenge of big SACCOs with many associations explaining that the Shs 30 million is too small for the members to do something tangible.

He highlighted categories like the Boda-bodas, market vendors, produce dealers among others.

Back ground

Emyooga is a Presidential Cluster Initiative on Wealth and Job Creation which was introduced in 2019.

In Bunyoro sub-region, it was officially launched in July last year by the State Minister for Microfinance, Haruna Kyeyune Kasolo in Masindi district.

The 19 clusters selected to benefit from the program include Boda-boda riders, salon owners, carpenters and taxi operators, welders, market vendors, journalists, performing artists, mechanics among others.

Under the project, each enterprise group with a minimum of 30 members is supposed to receive up to Shs 30m in funding, which is accessed as a revolving fund by members to boost their respective income-generating ventures, at the interest rate of as low as 5% annually.

In Masindi, for a beneficiary to get money, he or she should have saved 30% of the money he or she wants.

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Police Collects 10m From Motorists In Lango

LIRA – Police in the North Kyoga region has collected Shs 10,880,000 from motorists defying the Covid-19 Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in Lango sub-region in one month.

The money has been collected through fines from Boda-boda riders and drivers caught operating beyond curfew hours as well as those found carrying passengers.

This money was collected from the four districts of Otuke where 32 motorists were arrested and charged; Oyam where 43 motorists and 13 drivers were nabbed; in Dokolo district, police impounded 24 motorcycles and Lira where 23 drivers and 48 motorcycles were impounded.

All the money is said to have been deposited in the government account.

https://thecooperator.news/errant-boda-bodas-warned-you-will-be-banned/

Patrick Jimmy Okema, the North Kyoga police spokesperson says the Boda-boda riders and some people with private cars have continued to defy the guidelines which exposes everyone to risk.

Okema also acknowledged the possibility of extortion by some police officers executing these guidelines but said no victims have made any formal complaints, something he says is affecting the fight against corruption.

“If only a member of the public could help us cite one or two officers so that they can serve as an example to the others. But unfortunately, these are just rumors within the community and do not come directly to the police. If only they could do that, we would be able to deal with such things.”

However, Newton Ocen, a Boda-boda rider, says the need to provide for their families as well as meet their other needs has forced them to breach the presidential directives. Ocen, who used to make between Shs 30,000 to Shs 40,000 is now making a maximum of Shs 10,000 a day.

Jimmy Ocen, another rider in Lira said he has resorted to selling his belongings to service a loan he took to acquire a motorcycle.

On June 18th 2021, President Yoweri Museveni issued guidelines to curb the spread of Covid-19. Among these was observance of curfew starting 7:00pm, restriction of PSV and private cars while Boda-bodas were limited to carrying only cargo from 6:30am to 5pm.

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Financial Inclusion Key For Resilience – Bankers Conference 2021

UGANDA – Uganda Bankers Association (UBA) has been challenged to come together to drive financial inclusion as well as increase provision of financial services.

This was during the virtual Annual Bankers Conference (ABC), a signature industry event that brings together regulators, practitioners and various industry experts involved in delivering financial (banking services) from domestic, regional, national and international spheres; to discuss trending issues, drivers and dynamics that are increasingly shaping sustainability strategies in banking, finance and the overall development ecosystem.

The conference which was themed, “Bend but do not break” was aimed at finding ways in which the financial sector can thrive in the era of the 4th Industrial Revolution.

The conference was organized by UBA and sponsored by MasterCard, Raxio Data Center, FINCA, Experian, Stanbic Bank, Financial Sector Deepening Uganda, and KCB Bank.

Speaking during the conference, Joseph Lutwama, the Director in charge of programs Financial Sector Deepening (FSD) said that, there is a need for stakeholders to work with the government to create opportunities for economic empowerment.

“It is good that we have made strides in deepening financial access for those already using financial services; but for those who are still excluded, I think it is important that as stakeholders working with the government, we create opportunities for economic empowerment. Until we create those opportunities for economic empowerment, financial services and financial inclusion will continue to be a dream for many of those who are at the bottom of the pyramid,” Lutwama said.

“This will take collective efforts by not only the government and other private players but also financial institutions which still have a role to play in driving innovation and driving that economic activity that ultimately will benefit the financial services as more people are able to earn and own assets which they can insure and generate income,” he said, adding that multiplier effect only happens when they work together collectively to be able to drive financial inclusion as well as deepen financial markets.

Lutwama further advised, UBA to think of having what he termed as solid legal systems urging that this will help them to do business sustainably.

“Everything rises and falls with trust and there is no better place to build trust in the financial system than having a solid legal system; and more particularly a system which has a culture of enforcement of contracts. Financial services or any economic activity is driven by contracts whether written or unwritten; what will build trust is our ability to meet our end of the bargain of the contract. In a country where it is very difficult to get justice or where justice is always delayed, it will be difficult for people to trust and enter into contracts more so in the digital era where the person you are getting into a contract with is not seen. In the digital banks where a transaction is completed under a minute, and you don’t know whom you are transacting with, in the event that you have an issue, how are you compensated? So, in an environment where it is not clear, how you can be compensated, it will be very difficult for us to trust people and engage in financial services,” said Lutwama.

Lutwama further submitted that, “we will need to rethink the financial sector regulatory system; currently we have diverse regulators, Bank of Uganda, Capital Markets Authority, UMRA, National Payment System; there are many regulators, the financial system is becoming grey and it is very difficult to know where banking stops, where payments begin and where investment starts or retirement benefits start or stop, in such an era, it then becomes very important that we also need to break barriers between regulators and adopt systems that are more inclusive and impressive so that they become easier for some to innovate and even the regulators to ably protect the consumers.”

James Byaruhanga, the General Manager at Raxio Data Center called on financial banking institutions to embrace integration of the banking services to be able to tap into the global market.

“So you need to think about global payment platforms, for example MasterCard which will help to improve on service delivery in financial service sectors, so there is a need for integration; and integration becomes very critical because every single player can transact from one platform to another, the internet becomes a market place. So I think it’s time to think about adopting the internet as a market place,” said Byaruhanga.

Speaking at the same meeting, Mathias Katamba, the Chairperson UBA said that the banking sector has become versatile in this period of the Covid-19 pandemic adding that the sector needs to think beyond the impact of the pandemic.

“We do not only have to focus on how the sector has been affected, we should focus on what we can learn from these times and put the lessons into actions,” he advised.

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Pakwach: Rising L. Albert waters destroy local businesses

Business owners in Panyimur Town Council, Pakwach district, are in tears over the rising levels of Lake Albert that have submerged several business premises in the area, leading to loss of income estimated in the millions of shillings.

Genaro Muswa Maditwun, who owns one of the top hotels in Panyimur Town Council, Pakwach district, says he started his hotel business in 1998 in Panyimur, then one of the busiest landing sites in West Nile.

However, he says his business has been decimated by waters from L. Albert which have cut off access to his hotel and submerged a significant portion of it.

“I am making a loss of Shs 1.2m in monthly income, before factoring in the repair costs once the waters recede,” Muswa said.

Several businesses and infrastructure along the buffer zones of lakes and rivers in Panyimur Town Council, Pakwach district, have been submerged or destroyed following increased rains that started last year, resulting in the rising water level of L. Albert.

All income generating activities at the landing sites, both government-funded and privately owned, have come to a standstill as a result of the ongoing disaster.

“I am currently suffering from diabetics and [high blood] pressure, in addition to servicing a loan. I can no longer look for capital to start a new business,” a despondent Muswa says.

Paul Kinobe, the Chairman of Panyimur’s business community says majority of the business premises in the area have been submerged by water, making them impossible for customers to access.

“Accommodation facilities like hotels, bars and lodges have been the most affected,” he said.

Kinobe called upon the government to assess the situation of business owners affected by the flooding and come to their rescue.

“Our local business operators are in a panic about how to pay back loans they had borrowed, since their businesses are greatly affected by the rising water level and the lowered incomes as a result,” Kinobe said.

Cholera fears

Meanwhile, Panyimur Sub County, LC III Chairman, Shaban Ofoi expressed concern that the area, known in the past as an epicenter for Cholera in the region, might be headed for another attack of the epidemic since most of the latrines have collapsed or been submerged by the rising water levels.

“Our latrines and clean water sources at the landing sites are submerged with water. The few facilities left are being overwhelmed by the population. We could face another Cholera epidemic if close attention is not paid to helping the local community,” Ofoi said.

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400 farmers in Kwania receive heifers under restocking program

More than 400 farmers from six sub-counties in Kwania district have received heifers worth Shs 576m under the restocking program.

In 2014, the government earmarked Shs 20 bn to restore livelihoods and alleviate poverty in West Nile, Acholi, Lango and the Teso-sub regions through restocking under the Peace, Recovery and Development Plan (PRDP) following the two-decades-long rebellion by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA).

The heifers will benefit widows, widowers, the elderly, persons with disabilities, orphans and the Ex-combatants from the Sub Counties of Aduku, Inomo, Chawente, Nambieso, Abongomola and Aduku Town Council.

Bazil Okello Onac, the Kwania District LCV Chairperson asked the beneficiaries to adhere to the restocking guidelines issued by the government and use the animals to alleviate poverty at the grassroots.

“They should keep these animals for at least four years, according to the government guidelines, and let them multiply in order to eradicate poverty. We want to hear success stories on what the restocking program has done for them,” he said.

In a similar vein, Salim Komakech, the Kwania Resident District Commissioner cautioned the beneficiaries against selling off the animals, but rather urged them to use them to improve their income.

“The president’s vision is to empower households that are not yet in the money-making economy. Beneficiaries should not sell off these animals, but instead use them for production. We as security shall ensure that these guidelines are indeed followed,” he said in an interview.

Bonny Okello, a resident of Ikwera cell in Aduku Town Council and beneficiary of the program, thanked the government for the donation, saying the animals will go a long way to improve on his livelihood.

Another beneficiary, a widow and resident of Anginyi Village in Aduku Sub County, Shopia Odul, says this is the first time she has personally benefitted from the government.

“I am going to look after the animal well and once it multiplies, I will use the income to pay for my four children school and provide us a better life,” she pledged.

Dr Charles Opeto, the Kwania District Veterinary Officer said that Aduku Town Council was slated to receive 26 herds of cattle, Aduku 65, Nambieso 130, Inomo 95, while Abongomola and Chawente would each get 82.

The restocking program has faced a host of challenges since its inception, including inadequate supervision and alleged ghost beneficiaries.

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UCDA cracks down on immature coffee trade

The Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) has declared war against traders engaged in buying immature coffee from farmers.

UCDA’s regional extension officer for Rwenzori region, Emmanuel Tumwizere, said picking immature coffee berries affects the quality of coffee in the country.

“Coffee is continuously losing quality because of some farmers harvesting immature coffee which ends up rotting. Others use poor post harvest handling methods like drying it on the bare ground, which also negatively impacts on its quality,” he said.

Even consumers are put at risk by immature coffee, which Tumwizere says can become “hazardous”.

“When farmers pick immature coffee, they first keep it in sacks and hence it ends up molding. This develops a toxic acid which is hazardous to consumers because it causes cancer,” he said.

He further noted that such poor harvesting practices threaten to undermine the progress that has been made in promoting coffee farming in the region.

“People in the Rwenzori region have responded positively to planting more coffee but there are some farmers who are not adhering to good harvesting standards by harvesting immature coffee,” he said.

Traders involved in buying immature coffee tend to lure farmers into selling to them by offering more money for it than they would pay at harvest time when mature coffee floods the market.

According to locals, traders buy a basin of immature coffee at Shs 10,000, which Tumwizere said is more than what they would get for coffee that is ready for harvest.

In response, UCDA has intensified efforts to curb the vice by threatening to arrest farmers involved in the trade.

“We shall start arresting any farmer that we find harvesting immature coffee because it affects the quality of coffee on the market which not only affects the farmer but also the country’s exports” he said.

Taking action

On Wednesday this week, Tumwizere impounded 26 sacks of immature coffee and arrested two workers accused of engaging in the illicit trade at a coffee store in Kiburara village, Hakibale Sub County, in Kabarole district.

The operation, which was conducted by Tumwizere and an official from the Operation Wealth Creation (OWC), followed a tip off from locals that some traders were buying immature coffee within their village. The traders were apprehended and handed over to the police, and their coffee impounded.

In 2017, during an operation OWC officials impounded more than 500kgs of green coffee berries from traders in Mitandi Kyamukube town council, now part of Bunyangabu district and arrested one of the traders.

Richard Waako, the in-charge, defence, in Kiburara village where the culprits were netted, said the two individuals had been arrested twice before over the same practice (dealing in immature coffee), but they have persisted in the illicit trade.

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