Wild animals have destroyed over 3000 acres of food crops in Nwoya district in the last six months

NWOYA – In Nwoya, wild animals have destroyed more than 3000 acres of food crops in the last six months.

The most affected areas are Lii sub-county where farmers lost 787 acres of food crops, followed by Anaka sub-county with 632. Other areas include; Koch Goma sub-county where farmers lost 456 acres, Purongo sub-county with 487 and Got Apwoyo losing 652 acres of food crops.

The wild animals include; elephants, baboons, buffalos and warthogs among others.

Now, the government through the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities and Uganda Wildlife Authorities (UWA) have earmarked Shs 700m for the most affected parishes in the five sub-counties of Nwoya.

In an interview with our reporter, the Minister of State for Tourism Wildlife and Antiquities, Martin Magara Bahinduka says, 95% of the money which the district will receive before the end of the year shall be channeled to support communities who have been most affected while 55 will be given to both the district and the sub-counties for monitoring purposes.

Previously, the government would give the money to the district and the district would plan for the utilization of the funds, something both the locals and some local government leaders disagree on its impact.

Bahinduka says, the money had accrued for the past two financial years due to inactivity during the Covid19 lockdown.

According to Bahinduka, most times districts would spend more than 70% in projects that don’t directly support the affected communities.

For example, in Nwoya district, several community halls have been constructed and more than 200 goats supplied to the community; an idea that the community claim was inadequate support compared to the losses they have suffered in the hands of wild animals.

Justine Odong Ajaji, the LCIII Chairperson Lii sub-county in Nwoya district that hosts some invasion hotspots disagrees with the new arrangement. He says, for years UWA and government have been sending money under revenue sharing to communities which has been yielding minimal impact.

“UWA and government have been sending money under revenue sharing to the district which was then channeled to the sub-counties and communities. Some of this money was used to buy goats, pigs among other livelihood supports to the communities but if you go and check now, you won’t find anything,” Odong notes.

Odong wants the government to fund projects such as construction of community access roads, schools and health centres that would have a long-lasting impact to the community members.

“We don’t have access roads even for the rangers to come and drive back the wild animals when they invade community areas. When you look at schools, there are areas where learners are forced to move between 20kms to 30 kms daily to access primary schools, leave alone health centers. According to me, such monies would be used to fund projects which will bridge such huge gaps so that access to schools and health services is improved,” Odong observed.

“What if the money is given to the communities, and they invest the money back to growing food crops and animals again come to destroy them, what would we be doing to our community members?” Odong wondered.

Benson Otto, the LCIII Chairperson of Purongo sub-county Nwoya district says, they have initially constructed a community primary school (Atwomo community School) which supports the education of children from Patira and Pawatomero as well as the construction of a multipurpose community hall which is yet to be completed.

According to Otto, following the latest directive, the community members have formed groups where they have identified 9 tree planting projects, which would protect and prevent the wild animals from crossing to community land, 6 piggery and 3 bull patterning projects for livelihood support to their respective households.

“Much as we would want to see our communities develop, we need their lives to improve. For us, we want the funds to benefit the groups we have already identified, so that they can move away from engaging in activities which can easily be destroyed by wild animals especially elephants other than planting trees which has left many of them in losses,” Otto explains.

Stephen Lakony, a resident of Gony Cogo village in Lii sub-county agrees with Justine Odong Ajaji, the LCIII Chairperson Lii sub-county arguing that, in most cases UWA rangers have found excuses in lack of access roads for their failure or delay in coming to drive away the wild animals from community areas.

“For me, opening more access roads so that the rangers can access us is very important. We would also use the same road to access local markets to sell our items,” says Lakony.

James Opiru, another resident of Gony Cogo, who’s son was recently attacked and injured by stray elephants from Murchison Falls Park, wants the revenue used for compensation since government’s compensation fund has delayed.

“We continue to suffer here, money is sent to the district and sub-counties in the names of supporting us, who are the most affected. Why can’t you use the money to compensate us for the financial losses we have incurred in our gardens, and treating our people?” Opiru wonders.

https://thecooperator.news/nwoya-locals-leaders-reject-trenches-demand-for-electric-fence/

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Chairman TULIPONA Veterans Association hunted for allegedly forging the seal and signature of Omukama

KIKUUBE – Gideon Tumwebaze, the Chairman of TULIPONA Veterans Association hunted for allegedly forging the seal and signature of Omukama is in trouble for allegedly forging Omukama of Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom, Solomon Gafabusa Iguru’s signature and seal with intent to grab land belonging to Hoima Sugar limited in Kikuube district.

It is alleged that Tumwebaze presented a letter dated October 4, 2021 allegedly signed by Omukama Iguru and addressed to Florence Kiconco, the head of legal department at State House indicating that the King had offered him land measuring 2000 acres in Nyairongo parish Kabwoya sub-county Kikuube district.

The 2000 acres of land is part of the 21 square miles which Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom leased to Hoima Sugar Ltd for 99 years to grow sugarcane for the production of sugar in Kikuube district.

TULIPONA Veterans Association which is purported to have 500 members is accused of invading part of this land claiming that it was offered to them by Omukama Iguru.

The group claim that the land was given to them by Omukama Iguru in 2015 but the Kingdom Prime Minister, Andrew Byakutaga in September this year, issued a notice noting that the Omukama has never offered any piece of land to the veteran’s association.

Byakutaga’s statement forced the Kikuube district security committee led by the RDC Amlan Tumusiime to order the group to vacate the land. It is alleged that security discovered most of the people in the group were not veterans as claimed. Tumusiime found out that they were only ferried from neighboring districts while others were from Burundi.

However, Tumwebaze and his group protested the resolution to evict them and petitioned the president’s office where he presented a letter, he claimed had been written by Omukama Iguru reaffirming his offer of land.

A group of officials from State House recently stormed Bunyoro investigating the claim of the veterans.

However, Premier Byakutaga in his letter October 26, 2021 addressed to the State House legal department disregarded Tumwebaze’s letter saying, it was forged and challenged police to investigate the matter.

Responding to Byakutaga’s letter, in the phone interview, Gideon Tumwebaze said the letter he presented to State House was 100% authentic affirming that Omukama offered them the contested land in 2015.

He says, the letter in question was offered to him by Omukama outside the Palace without the knowledge of the Prime Minister and other kingdom officials.

He advised all those questioning his letter to challenge him in the courts of law and he is ready to defend himself instead of tarnishing his name.

“When I heard the Prime Minister and other Kingdom officials dismissing our offer, I used different means to access the Omukama and he signed another letter reaffirming the offer he made to me in 2015,” he said.

When contacted for a comment, last week RDC Tumusiime confirmed the development adding that police had launched a hunt for Tumwebaze to come and explain issues surrounding the letter.

https://thecooperator.news/mtn-rallies-bunyoro-kitara-kingdom-subjects-on-shares/

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Sheema: District Veterinary Officer calls for animal compensation policy

SHEEMA – Sheema District Veterinary Officer (DVO) has appealed to legislators to consider drafting the animal compensation policy.

This comes at a time when the district is battling a number of animal diseases since February 2020. The most recent, being African Swine Fever that has claimed more than 60 pigs in Kitagata sub-county.

These diseases include; Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR), Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), African Swine Fever and Lumpy Skin Disease.

“In February last year, we were battling Peste Petits Ruminants (the disease in small ruminants that is goats and sheep) where many died. If we had a compensation policy, it would not be the equivalent to the cost of quarantine when farmers are not trading,” said Dr Joseph Amanya, DVO Sheema district.

The DVO says, the compensation policy would help to tract the animal diseases in time whenever there is any outbreak.

Currently in Uganda, there is no policy gazzeted in the Animal Husbandry Act which allows compensation of farmers whenever they lose their animals.

“I think those are some of the issues that the Ministry of Animal Husbandry should work on because in such cases, we would have slaughtered all the animals and disposed them off and compensated the farmers to control the African Swine Fever there and then,” Amanya explained.

Speaking to Dr Ronald Bameka, the DVO Lyantonde, confirmed that the policy of compensation is being pushed in Parliament for disease control.

“There is an ongoing amendment on the animal policy in Parliament, we have been pushing for it,” says Bameka.

However, Bameka is worried about the determinations on who will get compensated and how much farmers will receive as compensation.

Approximately, Sheema district has around 60,000 goats and sheep, 35,000 heads of cattle and a total of 30,000 pigs reared among the 47,360 households in the district.

Amanya says, a total of more than 60 pigs have already died because of the current African Swine Fever in the district.

Alex Boona, one of the affected farmers confirmed the death of 21 pigs from his farm.

“I heard that there was a farmer who lost about 60 pigs, then my neighbor lost about five while I lost all the 21 pigs,” Boona said.

He appealed to the government for drugs to vaccinate the few remaining pigs in the district which Dr Amanya opposed saying, African Swine Fever has no treatment.

“It’s a viral disease and its not treatable and there is no vaccine that has been developed against African Swine Fever like any other viral disease,” Amanya replied.

He adds that being a transboundary disease, it has so far traversed to districts of Bushenyi, Sheema, Mitoma and Buhweju.

Dr Amanya also encouraged local farmers to start modern piggery farming in order to have a complete meaningful farming.

“We need people who are certified breeders, then those who make feeds, while others are fattening,” said Amanya.

https://thecooperator.news/ministry-of-agriculture-needs-shs-20bn-for-foot-mouth-vaccines/

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Nwoya locals, leaders reject trenches, demand for electric fence

NWOYA – Residents of five sub-counties in Nwoya district are demanding electric fence installation, instead of trenches being dug by Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA).

In the past six months, 3,014 acres of food crops have been destroyed by elephants, baboons, buffalos and warthogs to mention but a few in the sub-counties of Anaka, Purongo, Got Apwoyo, Koch Goma, Lii.

Jackson Kinyera, the LCI Chairperson of Patira West in Purongo sub-county says, they have lost more than 400 acres of food crops including rice, sorghum, millet, soybeans among others.

Kinyera says, the men have resorted to spending their nights in the gardens to prevent them from being destroyed by the stray animals.

According to Kinyera, the elephants have now become more sensitive to sound which makes them violent and have begun attacking farmers.

“We are risking our lives to protect the food crops in the gardens from being destroyed by the stray wild animals because they mostly move at night. We have recently reported 7 injuries sustained from attacks from mostly elephants in recent times with one death,” said Kinyera.

Peter Bongomin, a resident of Okii village in Anaka sub-county in Nwoya district who recently lost 4.5 acres of food crops to the elephants says, the elephants have mastered the art of dodging the trenches by filling them up.

He says, his garden is surrounded with trenches but is still attacked by the elephants.

Emmanuel Orach, Nwoya district LCV Chairperson says, with the current trend of destruction by the wild animals, the fight against household poverty can never be won.

Orach notes that so far 14 people have been killed and scores injured by the wild animals from the park.

Orach proposes that if the government cannot protect the animals from encroaching into community areas, they should consider trans-locating the elephants which have proven to be the most dangerous in the human-wildlife conflict.

Judith Peace Achan, the Nwoya district Woman Member of Parliament also wants UWA to change the poles they are using currently to concrete poles. This she says, will guarantee its durability.

“What UWA is currently installing wooden poles with some already used while others have developed cracks. We would want them to plant for us concrete poles so that we know the government is investing in a long-lasting solution to the human-wildlife conflict in the district,” notes Achan.

Currently, Nwoya district has only 23km of electric poles planted, wired and powered with solar. The district shares a total of 110km of borderline with the Murchison Falls National Game Park.

According to UWA, 1 km of electric fence costs Shs 50 million.

John Makombo, the Director Conservations, Uganda Wildlife Authority concurs with the affected locals and the district leaders on the need to suspend trench digging and focus on electric fence installation.

Makombo reveals that, they have currently received funds from the World Bank for the installation of 88km of electric poles between Oyam and Olwiyo in Nwoya district. According to Makombo, the installation will be complete before the end of this financial year.

“We have observed that these elephants fill up the trenches for them to access community land, destroying crops and injuring people. So, we have all resolved that trenches don’t work and the next plan which is a long lasting one is planting electric fences along the border lines,” Makombo explains.

Martin Mugarra Bahinduka, Minister of State for Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities speaking to the affected communities in the different sub-counties said, the government is committed to ending the human-wildlife conflict.

According to Mugarra, the slow pace in planting the electric fence has majorly been due to lack of funds which is as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic which hit the tourism sector hard.

“Like any other sector, we have been hit hard by Covid-19 which has affected our resource mobilization, that’s why some of the projects had to be halted. We have also halted the procurement of helicopters which we thought would help us with monitoring the wild animals. So, it’s not that we don’t want to end this conflict. It’s because of resource constraints,” Minister Mugarra explains.

Over the years, the human-wildlife conflict has persisted in Nwoya district leaving several animals and human beings dead, scores injured, and thousands of acres of crops destroyed.

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Oyam farmers desert Tochi Irrigation Scheme worth Shs28b

OYAM – Tochi Irrigation Scheme in Oyam district that the government constructed at the cost of Shs 28b to promote rice growing has been deserted after a portion got submerged into floods.

According to members of Tochi Irrigation Scheme Rice Grower Cooperative Society, they suffered a major setback after floods swept off their rice forcing a number of farmers to abandon the scheme for other enterprises.

Richard Odyang, one of the rice farmers said, by now they would be harvesting their rice, but unfortunately this disaster deflated our plan and submerged all the rice fields two months ago.

The construction of the Tochi irrigation scheme was launched by President Yoweri Museveni in 2016 and its target was to boost rice farming, improve food security and fish farming. About 1,000 households were set to benefit from the project that covers Acaba, Minakulu and Ngai sub-counties.

The five-year project was funded by the African Development Bank (ADB), Nordic Development Fund and the government of Uganda.

According to residents and the local leadership, a total of 1,200 acres were apportioned and allocated to farmers but only 621 picked up and planted. The government also constructed a store that accommodates about 15,000 tons of rice near the scheme.

“They have wasted resources because it is not helping us. Instead, we incurred losses,” Odyang says, accusing the government of not completing the construction of the scheme.

About 700 farmers abandoned the growing of rice due to consistent flooding, poor water drainage system and failure by the Ministry of Water and Environment to provide a solution to the problem.

Martin Gira, another farmer whose rice fields were submerged by floods said, if the Ministry fails to come and rectify the errors made during the construction, Tochi Irrigation Scheme will not benefit its rice growers.

Richard Obeny said, the three plots allocated to him were submerged by floods, so he failed to plant rice again.

“The three plots allocated to me have been submerged by floods yet my target was to plant and harvest 40 bags of rice,” he said.

Acaba LC3 Chairperson Amuge Charles, said they detected shoddy work in the process and within three years if nothing is done, the surrounding villages will also be submerged by floods.

“There was a lot of corruption in the process and we expect the ministry to come back and work on the scheme,” he adds.

“Seeds were supposed to be given to farmers by Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries but it didn’t happen,” he says, adding that farmers purchased the seeds locally and planted them.

Oyam district LC5 boss, Benson Dila said, the government gave a good project to the district and it was supposed to transform the lives of farmers in the district but it has become the contrary.

He said, after farmers lost their crops, some decided to desert their plots and it has now turned into a bush.

“The Permanent Secretary (PS) committed that we should not over lament because the ministry is going to support and see that the defect was corrected,” said Dila.

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Poor state of multibillion Hoima Central Market worries leaders

HOIMA – Six years after construction of the Hoima Modern Market, local leaders have identified a number of anomalies with the structure that seem to affect the efficient running of business at the facility.

The facility built under the Markets and Agriculture Trade Improvement Project (MATIP) was constructed by Amugoli General Enterprises.

The Shs13 billion project was funded by the African Development Bank (ADB).

Brian Kaboyo, the Hoima City Mayor, said the anomalies have left several stalls unoccupied. The facility that hosts 561 vendors in 358 stalls has 37 unoccupied stalls. Also 9 out of 171 lockups are not occupied.

Kaboyo made the revelations last week while meeting the State Minister for Local Government, Victoria Rusoke, who was on a country tour to ascertain challenges faced with cities and markets.

According to Kaboyo, the drainage channel did not slope well to enable the flow of water and other waste materials and this requires regular cleaning of channels and leads to the high cost of maintenance.

He also complained about the lack of direct access to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd floors of the market adding that when the ground floor is closed, vendors and other businesses on the upper floors have no option but to close and move out.

Kaboyo further explained that the market is lacking solid waste collection points inside and outside which makes it difficult to manage the wastes at the facility.

He added that the market was connected on commercial meters for both water and electricity yet the vendors are very poor and they cannot afford paying such utilities. He called on the government to get solar systems in the facility to reduce the expenditure incurred on electricity.

Besides, the market is currently leaking which is resulting to the peeling of the ceiling and developing cracks.

Kaboyo appealed to the Minister to send a team of MATIP engineers to come on the ground and get away of rectifying the anomalies on the facility.

Hoima Resident City Commissioner (RCC), Samuel Kisembo, also reiterated the Mayors call for immediate intervention to rectify the defect and other anomalies to create a good working environment for the vendors.

He further noted that the defects need to be worked on because the more it continues like that the more its structure get weakened putting the lives of vendors at risk.

The Minister for Local Government, Victoria Businge Rusoke, promised that the government will soon get funds and install solar energy and cameras in the facility.

She also directed the RCC and Minister of Local Government to send a team on ground to investigate the claims and file a report for rectification.

“I am not happy about what I am hearing, about leakages and peeling of the ceiling because this property is not yet 15 years old and other markets are intact, so this must ring a bell in the ears of the RCC that instead of giving a year and more months; we should at least give five years or ten before we give the last fund called defects liability period, these people (contractors) do away with such issues because they know after one year, they are exonerated,” she expressed her dismay.

https://thecooperator.news/commissioner-warns-dot-services-over-shoddy-works/

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A ray of hope for demoralized members of Kigarama People’s SACCO as Pre-AGMs commence

BUHWEJU – Kigarama People’s SACCO are holding pre-Annual General Meeting (AGM) in preparation for the 2021/2021 AGM due in December,2021.

According to Grace Rukumbagaza, the SACCO Chairman said, the exercise covers 6 SACCO branches and will elect 200 delegates to participate in the 2020/2021 AGM as per the SACCO bylaws.

During their first meeting in Karungu branch in Buhweju district, Rukumbagaza confirmed that 30 delegates were democratically elected instead of handpicked as some members had earlier alleged.

“It’s good that we have all witnessed how members have successfully elected their representatives not handpicked as some members had earlier alleged because you can’t hand pick all these able-bodied gentlemen and women,” said Rukumbagaza.

During his speech, Rukumbagaza also disclosed that Kigarama People’s SACCO is doing well as the board committee managed to buy a double cabin vehicle and also installed mobile banking systems to ease the banking services.

“During this Covid-19 pandemic, we spent a lot on hiring means of transport but now we have bought a car at Shs 140million, bought a house for Butare branch at Shs 60million and also used Shs 60million to complete our mobile money banking system which I want to launch today,” said Rukumbagaza.

He further added that members’ savings are secure and the SACCO is running on a share capital of Shs3.4 billion.

He also pledged that he SACCO will start giving out new loans to members effective January 2022, a time when the President promised to lift Covid19 lockdown.

https://thecooperator.news/cooperators-are-gearing-up-for-world-cooperative-congress-due-in-december/

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Acholi MPs want tractors distributed in all parishes

ACHOLI – Members of Parliament from the Acholi sub-region want the government through the Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Animal Husbandry to distribute tractors to farmers instead of hand hoes.

Initially, the government was distributing hand hoes to farmers and farmer groups in the sub-counties and parishes through the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADs). It also did the same in a partnership with Parliament where MPs distributed hoes to their constituents annually.

Gilbert Olanya, the Kilak South Member of Parliament says, hand hoes can not do much considering the fact that the government has been rallying farmers to start commercial farming.

According to Olanya, as government promotes agricultural industries through the Parish Development Module (PDM) that is underway, they should invest in tractors per parish for farmers to till their land on a large scale.

Santa Okot, the Aruu North County Member of Parliament blamed the government for the challenges the farmers are facing in fighting household poverty.

“How can you say, you want farmers to engage in large scale agriculture yet you continue giving them hand hoes? Where do they get the energy to till 5-10 or even 20 acres of land? Using hand hoes?” Okot questions.

According to Okot, besides distributing hand hoes which have overtime become ineffective, the government has also on several occasions distributed substandard inputs including seeds to the farmers.

We have seen several Resident District Commissioners (RDCs) and district leaders rejecting seeds, like cassava cuttings, seedlings among others due to their poor standards. These are all factors as to why the community in Acholi sub-region are struggling to fight poverty.

Susan Lalam, a farmer and resident of Kal A sub ward in Koch Goma town council in Nwoya district says, having used hand hoes for over 15 years; she has only been left with body weakness and minimal productivity. Lalam further says, with the mechanization of agriculture that is taking over, the poor will be left to work in people`s farms because of high costs related to farming.

Stephen Ojok, another farmer in Te Got sub ward in Koch Goma town council says, several Non-Governmental-Organizations and government officials have been asking them to join or start up groups for support. He says, such groups could be targeted by the government and tractors given to them for easy management, coordination and effectiveness.

Charles Aben, who works at the NAADs secretariat while doing a presentation on what they have done in the Acholi sub-region during the Investor’s Forum organized by Acholi Parliamentary Group in Nwoya District in September this year said, they distributed thousands of hand hoes to the various districts of Uganda.

Aben said they had, however, suspended the distribution because they had run out of money. On the demand by the Members of Parliament, Aben says there’s need for Parliament to allocate more funds so that the tractors can be procured.

Aben also observed that NAADs is no longer in charge of distribution of hand hoes or tractors but rather the Ministry of Agriculture which now has the full mandate.

Our efforts to speak to Frank Tumwebaze, the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Husbandry were futile as his known telephone contact went unanswered.

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Government to scaleup fish farming, says Adoa – Fisheries Minister

GULU – The Ugandan government is on a mission to take fish farming to every part of the country including parts without water bodies, the State Minister for Fisheries, Hellen Adoa has said.

Adoa who doubles as the Woman Member of Parliament for Serere district said that, “We want to decongest our lakes. We want to show the world that even without a lake, swamp, or river, we can farm fish.”

The Minister was speaking on Monday during the belated National World Fisheries Day celebrations held at Negri College in Gulu City.

“With aquaculture, even without a farm, you can fish farm. Find time and visit Hon Jeje Odongo. He has built tanks in front of his house and he is doing very well with catfish. Catfish is highly wanted in Democratic Republic of Congo and other places around the world.

Odongo is the current Internal Affairs Minister and also Member Parliament for Orungo County.

Adoa welcomed a suggestion by the Assistant Commissioner of private schools and institutions in the Ministry of Education, Mutee Kanga George, for agriculture especially aquaculture to be made compulsory at all levels of education in the country.

“Currently agriculture is compulsory in senior one and senior two but we should make it compulsory at all levels of education and then let each sub-region pick on the one or two sub-sections,” Mutee said.

“I am very sure aquaculture will be one of those sub-sections that will help address the issue of unemployment in this country,” he said.

Adoa in response said, “The children will be excited to do their farming projects after class because they are practical,” she noted adding that the school fish farms can be used to feed children and their families.

The Archbishop of Gulu, Dr John Baptist Odama pledged the Catholic Church’s support to the fish farming project saying, “We are not just preaching the bible but also ready to preach agriculture and fisheries in particular.”

Meanwhile, the Minister also said that government’s target is to see that each Ugandan eats 20 kgs of fish per year by 2030 because of its high nutritional contents.

“Currently, each person in Uganda eats between 10-12 kgs of fish per year but we want this to improve by 2030 because fish is what will save us from diseases that come with eating red meat,” she noted.

A total of 115 youths from Arua and Gulu graduated with certificates in fish farming and fish value chain during the National World Fisheries Day.

The youths were trained at Isidoro farm located at Negri College including two priests and have since formed four cooperative groups through which they will coordinate their activities.

Okaka Geoffrey, Gulu Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) urged the government to support the district in making the fish fry center in Laliya-Gulu district functional.

“We have a fish fry center which is not functional. We are currently engaging development partners to get help so that our fish farmers don’t struggle to access quality fingerlings and fish feeds,” he said.

He said that 5.13 metric tons of fish were harvested in Gulu in 2020, an amount he said could increase if fish farmers are supported.

“We have been supporting farmers with fish fingerlings through the Operation Wealth Creation and the Agriculture extension grant but it is not enough,” Okaka said.

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Minister for Agriculture commissions two cassava factories in Nebbi

NEBBI – The State Minister for Agriculture, Fred Bwino Kyakulaga has commissioned two cassava factories in Nebbi district under the Agriculture Cluster Development Project (ACDP).

The commissioned factories are among the five that were earmarked for boosting both local and international trade for cassava products.

The government hopes to improve the socio-economic status of cassava farmers in Nebbi by alleviating poverty through value additions and creating job opportunities in the community.

Previously, the poor quality of bitter cassava variety could not meet the market demand hence generating less interest from farmers.

Ms Juliet Abedirwoth, one of the farmers said, as members of the cooperatives, they will be the immediate beneficiaries of the factories because they will supply the factory directly with raw cassava to sustain the factories.

“According to the policies of the cooperative, members of the cooperative who are the shareholders in the cooperative have the direct link to benefit from the factories because roles and responsibilities of members are well spelt out and dividends are shared according to the number of shares,” Abedirwoth said.

Charity Awekonimungu, a member of Aratarach Cassava Cooperative said, she is now able to supply the factory with cassava from her own gardens since she plants the sweet varieties of NAROCASI recommended by MAAIF.

Ongeyowun Innocent, the Production Manager, Aratarach Cassava Cooperative says, employment and participation in the cooperative among the farmers is shared by gender, where women take 70% of the total population of 360 group members while men take 30%.

Mer-Ber and Aratarach Cooperatives are among the benefiting cooperatives in the district under the project of ACDP whose factories were commissioned by the State Minister for Agriculture amidst electricity and water challenges facing the cooperatives.

Agriculture Cluster Development Project (ACDP) is a government program being implemented by Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries in 57 selected districts across the country with financial support from World Bank and its mandate is to transform the local communities with high yielding cassava NASSER 19 and NAROCASI varieties.

According to the Minister, Fred Bwino Kyakulaga, cassava production in the West Nile region is considered to be one of the white golds which is cementing the foundations of the economy by empowering citizens towards better livelihoods.

Bwino says, ACDP is not the only effort being made by the government to alleviate poverty. He called on farmers to take advantage of the Parish Development Model (PDM) to increase the commercialization of cassava production and attach value addition for better economic benefits.

“Cassava is a white gold which gives other bi-products like starch which can be used to produce ethanol and if farmers are mobilized to grow cassava on a large scale, the bi products can boost the economy of the country,” Bwino said.

Levi Nyakuni, Nebbi district Production Officer said, much as cassava factories were commissioned to benefit farmers in the district, they need to plant more sweet cassava which is sustainable for the factories and urged farmers to go commercial.

“I’m hereby urging cassava farmers to think big and reap big from cassava production by planting the varieties which are recommended to supply the factories that are commissioned,” Nyakuni said.

Joyce Piwa, the Agricultural Officer Nebbi district said, the district has trained more than 2,300 farmers on post-harvest handling practices to minimize post-harvest losses in the lower local government.

He is therefore, optimistic that the factories will benefit the farmers if they focus on value addition.

“The district is rehabilitating community access roads linking all the production areas where farmers will transport their products to the processing facilities,” Piwa said.

https://thecooperator.news/amuru-farmers-receive-rice-processing-machine-worth-shs-80m/

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