Fish Farmers In Oyam Decry Counterfeit Feeds

OYAM – Livestock and grain farmers in Oyam district are looking at fish farming as a safety net against the increasingly erratic weather patterns, which have resulted in crop failure and animal deaths due to drought.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), fish and related products contribute to food security through consumption, jobs creation, income and trade.

However, the farmers have complained that the feeds on the market are sub-standard and lead to stunted growth, affecting the profitability of the business.

The dealers have decried an increase in counterfeit feeds on the market, calling upon the government to intervene in the production of feeds.

In the past months, dealers in agro-inputs, especially fish feeds flocked markets in Oyam district, opening shops at various trading centers.

https://thecooperator.news/grape-farmers-demand-for-a-fgractory/

Solomon Odwee, a one of the farmers from Ogang Apur parish in Acaba Sub County lost nearly Shs 4 million after purchasing counterfeit feeds which killed almost all the fish in the pond.

“It is very difficult to differentiate the genuine feeds from the fake ones because most of the companies supplying the feeds bear the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) logo, this requires the intervention of extension officers in educating the farmers.” he said.

Joseph Alyai, a fish farmer in Iceme sub-county who doubles as the chairperson Oyam North Fishery Group blames the fish farmers for buying their feeds from dealers who have no idea about fish farming.

“I am currently buying feeds from Tororo; the problem is that many fish farmers prefer cheaper feeds which are sold by dealers who have no idea about fishing. I want to advise farmers to form groups in order to be able to purchase quality feeds,” he said in an interview.

Alex Enon, the Assistant District Commercial Officer says that his office has received several complaints from farmers about the quality of feeds. He blames the farmers for buying feeds from unlicensed retailers who sell counterfeit products.

Fish feeds contain soya bean meal, silverfish, rice bran, fish meal, earthworms, spirulina, and vitamins and minerals. These are mixed accordingly in certain percentages with protein foodstuffs highest at 30%.

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Ankole Diocese Partners With UCDA To Alleviate Poverty

ANKOLE – Ankole Diocese and Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) have launched a partnership to plant coffee to improve household incomes and transform communities in Western Uganda.

According to Sedrack Muhangi, UCDA’s Regional Coffee Extension Officer, the coffee growing campaign is targeting about 46,000 households in the area.

Muhangi says UCDA has gave out 22,500 Robusta coffee seedlings and 100 kilograms of Arabica coffee seeds to the diocese during the launch of the partnership on July 19th, 2021 at Kinoni Archdeaconry in Rwampara district.

Muhangi says UCDA joined the partnership because they believe the church institution can use its structures to improve both quality and quantity coffee production within the region.

“The church has well laid structures and commands a big following so we believe it can be a reliable partner to improve coffee production in terms of quality and quantity in this region,” Muhangi noted, before adding that they will give in more coffee depending on demand and uptake.

He said from 22,500 seedlings, after maturity, the diocese can earn about Shs 27 million in a season as each coffee plant can yield up to three kilograms ofKase or Fair Average Quality (FAQ) coffee a season, which translates into 67,500kgs.

Ankole diocese Bishop Rt Rev Sheldon Mwesigwa said supporting farming is part of the diocese’s community and household transformation programme.

He added that religious leaders owe a big debt if they only concentrate on spiritual growth and neglect other basics to transform communities in totality like improving household incomes.

“We will be answerable to our God if we let our people continue suffering in poverty. You can’t claim spiritual growth of a church when your people are languishing in poverty because we serve to grow our communities spiritually and in economic growth, “Bishop Mwesigwa noted.

He added that the church should not be a burden to christians over numerous demands to run the ministry, adding this is the reason the diocese is emphasizing in having its own income generating projects.

Bishop Mwesigwa said they have numerous acres of land spread at their churches and all these would be used as demonstration farms, and seed distribution centers of different agricultural produce to farmers.

Emmy Kateera Turyabagyenyi, Rwampara Resident District Commissioner (RDC) who officiated the launch pointed that the partnership is a great achievement not only in improving household incomes but also spiritual growth.

“This is a well thought intervention because some churches are becoming a burden. Your christians are poor but you keep demanding them thanksgiving, tithes and other church contributions every Sunday and a believer who finds has no money has no alternative but shuns the church because of shame and stigma” Turyabagyenyi explains.

Simon Kwikiriza, the head of household and transformation department Ankole diocese says they are targeting to have their own coffee processing factory in the next 10 years with the view of exporting the diocese coffee.

Kwikiriza said the coffee seedlings will cover 50 acres out of the project target of 400 acres on the church land.

Ankole diocese has a total population of 230,000 christians, 488 churches and 74 parishes.

https://thecooperator.news/uganda-doubles-increase-in-coffee-exports/

UCDA is working with different religious institutions across the country to promote coffee growing in line with the National Development Plan (NDP III) target of mindset change to promote development.

Away from Mbarara, UCDA also partnered with Hoima Catholic Diocese to promote coffee growing in Hoima district.

Dr. Emmanuel Lyamulemye, the Managing Director Uganda Coffee Development Authority stressed the need for the leadership of the diocese to mobilize families to increase incomes through coffee planting.

Lyamulemye further stressed that by 2050, there shall be a shortfall of 50 million bags thus a focus on Africans to meet that gap.

He asked locals in Hoima district to look at coffee as a business and a farmer’s bank through value addition both at production and market stages.

In conclusion, Lyamulemye revealed that the church is a centre of community with a role of educating people on business that can lead them to economic enhancement and development.

The meeting culminated into the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between UCDA and Hoima diocese to facilitate coffee planting that can generate income to support the diocese’s short-term goals.

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Ankole Diocese Partners With UCDA To Alleviate Poverty

ANKOLE – Ankole Diocese and Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) have launched a partnership to plant coffee to improve household incomes and transform communities in Western Uganda.

According to Sedrack Muhangi, UCDA’s Regional Coffee Extension Officer, the coffee growing campaign is targeting about 46,000 households in the area.

Muhangi says UCDA has gave out 22,500 Robusta coffee seedlings and 100 kilograms of Arabica coffee seeds to the diocese during the launch of the partnership on July 19th, 2021 at Kinoni Archdeaconry in Rwampara district.

Muhangi says UCDA joined the partnership because they believe the church institution can use its structures to improve both quality and quantity coffee production within the region.

“The church has well laid structures and commands a big following so we believe it can be a reliable partner to improve coffee production in terms of quality and quantity in this region,” Muhangi noted, before adding that they will give in more coffee depending on demand and uptake.

He said from 22,500 seedlings, after maturity, the diocese can earn about Shs 27 million in a season as each coffee plant can yield up to three kilograms ofKase or Fair Average Quality (FAQ) coffee a season, which translates into 67,500kgs.

Ankole diocese Bishop Rt Rev Sheldon Mwesigwa said supporting farming is part of the diocese’s community and household transformation programme.

He added that religious leaders owe a big debt if they only concentrate on spiritual growth and neglect other basics to transform communities in totality like improving household incomes.

“We will be answerable to our God if we let our people continue suffering in poverty. You can’t claim spiritual growth of a church when your people are languishing in poverty because we serve to grow our communities spiritually and in economic growth, “Bishop Mwesigwa noted.

He added that the church should not be a burden to christians over numerous demands to run the ministry, adding this is the reason the diocese is emphasizing in having its own income generating projects.

Bishop Mwesigwa said they have numerous acres of land spread at their churches and all these would be used as demonstration farms, and seed distribution centers of different agricultural produce to farmers.

Emmy Kateera Turyabagyenyi, Rwampara Resident District Commissioner (RDC) who officiated the launch pointed that the partnership is a great achievement not only in improving household incomes but also spiritual growth.

“This is a well thought intervention because some churches are becoming a burden. Your christians are poor but you keep demanding them thanksgiving, tithes and other church contributions every Sunday and a believer who finds has no money has no alternative but shuns the church because of shame and stigma” Turyabagyenyi explains.

Simon Kwikiriza, the head of household and transformation department Ankole diocese says they are targeting to have their own coffee processing factory in the next 10 years with the view of exporting the diocese coffee.

Kwikiriza said the coffee seedlings will cover 50 acres out of the project target of 400 acres on the church land.

Ankole diocese has a total population of 230,000 christians, 488 churches and 74 parishes.

https://thecooperator.news/uganda-doubles-increase-in-coffee-exports/

UCDA is working with different religious institutions across the country to promote coffee growing in line with the National Development Plan (NDP III) target of mindset change to promote development.

Away from Mbarara, UCDA also partnered with Hoima Catholic Diocese to promote coffee growing in Hoima district.

Dr. Emmanuel Lyamulemye, the Managing Director Uganda Coffee Development Authority stressed the need for the leadership of the diocese to mobilize families to increase incomes through coffee planting.

Lyamulemye further stressed that by 2050, there shall be a shortfall of 50 million bags thus a focus on Africans to meet that gap.

He asked locals in Hoima district to look at coffee as a business and a farmer’s bank through value addition both at production and market stages.

In conclusion, Lyamulemye revealed that the church is a centre of community with a role of educating people on business that can lead them to economic enhancement and development.

The meeting culminated into the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between UCDA and Hoima diocese to facilitate coffee planting that can generate income to support the diocese’s short-term goals.

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

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Hoima Drivers Miss Out On Covid-19 Relief Fund

HOIMA – Drivers operating from Hoima Taxi Park and Kinuubi Park in Hoima city have threatened to stage a peaceful demonstration protesting the alleged city authorities’ failure to include their names on the list of beneficiaries of Covid-19 relief fund.

The Government through the Prime Minister’s office and the Ministry of Gender, Labor and Social Development (MGLSD) allocated Shs 100, 000 to each household with various categories of vulnerabilities in cities and municipalities across the country.

Such vulnerable groups included drivers, motorcycle taxi drivers commonly known as boda-boda riders, salon operators and others whose work was either totally stopped or restricted to a certain level to reduce the spread of Covid-19.

However, although some people have received the money in Hoima city, many including drivers and boda-boda riders still complain that they are yet to see any single penny wired to their cell phones as per the government promise.

Peter Byaruhanga and Musa Kalanzi said although their names were initially registered and included on the list of beneficiaries, they were surprised after few of the colleagues received, leaving the majority out.

They claim that the money has been wired to phones of the non-vulnerable instead of the targeted groups.

They claimed that out of the 600 drivers who were registered only 15 received it wondering the criterion that was used in selecting the beneficiaries that led to their ultimate conclusion.

It is against this background that they threaten to stage a peaceful demonstration to attract the attention of the city authorities so they can act accordingly.

The drivers said that city leaders need to explain why they were left out, adding that they are currently struggling to feed their families since most of them have no other source of livelihood.

Muzamil Ahebwa, a driver and publicity secretary for Kinuubi Drivers’ Association said that more than 20 drivers at his park missed out on the money. He expressed concern that most of the people who received the money were not part of vulnerable groups.

“Am also a victim, I do not know what happened to our names, you can imagine few of our colleagues whom we registered with on the same form received the money and I and many of my colleague drivers did not get any coin, I suspect our names were excluded by the people from the center.”

He demanded that, city authorities intervene and communicate to the Prime Minister about their concern so that they can also be considered.

https://thecooperator.news/theft-of-government-hoes-rocks-soroti-city/

Imran Tumwesige, the Secretary Hoima Boda-boda Cyclists Association said that many of the boda-boda cyclists missed on the funds. He noted several boda-boda cyclists registered for relief funds but few have received it.

“We are suspecting some people to have received the money in our names, leaving the actual beneficiaries to miss out,” he said.

Samuel Kisembo, the Hoima Resident City Commissioner (RCC) said that they were directed to register 9,460 households but they received more than 18,000 applications from the city dwellers.

“Hoima city through our technical team, we did our part and good numbers of people have received this money and we estimate to be standing at 50%, of course the challenge is that the demand was very high, there were over 18,000 applicants to benefit but we were allocated only 9,460. So as of now we have not yet gotten any report from the MGLSD of names that were not able to make it,” he said.

He added that they are optimistic that by the end of this week all the people who were registered will have received their money.

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Hoima Drivers Miss Out On Covid-19 Relief Fund

HOIMA – Drivers operating from Hoima Taxi Park and Kinuubi Park in Hoima city have threatened to stage a peaceful demonstration protesting the alleged city authorities’ failure to include their names on the list of beneficiaries of Covid-19 relief fund.

The Government through the Prime Minister’s office and the Ministry of Gender, Labor and Social Development (MGLSD) allocated Shs 100, 000 to each household with various categories of vulnerabilities in cities and municipalities across the country.

Such vulnerable groups included drivers, motorcycle taxi drivers commonly known as boda-boda riders, salon operators and others whose work was either totally stopped or restricted to a certain level to reduce the spread of Covid-19.

However, although some people have received the money in Hoima city, many including drivers and boda-boda riders still complain that they are yet to see any single penny wired to their cell phones as per the government promise.

Peter Byaruhanga and Musa Kalanzi said although their names were initially registered and included on the list of beneficiaries, they were surprised after few of the colleagues received, leaving the majority out.

They claim that the money has been wired to phones of the non-vulnerable instead of the targeted groups.

They claimed that out of the 600 drivers who were registered only 15 received it wondering the criterion that was used in selecting the beneficiaries that led to their ultimate conclusion.

It is against this background that they threaten to stage a peaceful demonstration to attract the attention of the city authorities so they can act accordingly.

The drivers said that city leaders need to explain why they were left out, adding that they are currently struggling to feed their families since most of them have no other source of livelihood.

Muzamil Ahebwa, a driver and publicity secretary for Kinuubi Drivers’ Association said that more than 20 drivers at his park missed out on the money. He expressed concern that most of the people who received the money were not part of vulnerable groups.

“Am also a victim, I do not know what happened to our names, you can imagine few of our colleagues whom we registered with on the same form received the money and I and many of my colleague drivers did not get any coin, I suspect our names were excluded by the people from the center.”

He demanded that, city authorities intervene and communicate to the Prime Minister about their concern so that they can also be considered.

https://thecooperator.news/theft-of-government-hoes-rocks-soroti-city/

Imran Tumwesige, the Secretary Hoima Boda-boda Cyclists Association said that many of the boda-boda cyclists missed on the funds. He noted several boda-boda cyclists registered for relief funds but few have received it.

“We are suspecting some people to have received the money in our names, leaving the actual beneficiaries to miss out,” he said.

Samuel Kisembo, the Hoima Resident City Commissioner (RCC) said that they were directed to register 9,460 households but they received more than 18,000 applications from the city dwellers.

“Hoima city through our technical team, we did our part and good numbers of people have received this money and we estimate to be standing at 50%, of course the challenge is that the demand was very high, there were over 18,000 applicants to benefit but we were allocated only 9,460. So as of now we have not yet gotten any report from the MGLSD of names that were not able to make it,” he said.

He added that they are optimistic that by the end of this week all the people who were registered will have received their money.

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

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Otuke Residents Reject Poor Quality Goats

OTUKE – Residents of Olilim sub-county, Otuke district have rejected goats delivered to them under the Development Discretionary Equalization Grant (DDEG). The move to give out the goats to the beneficiaries hit a deadlock after residents labelled the development, a systematic approach to swindle government money.

In the last financial year, Otuke District Local Government (DLG) signed an agreement with Alfonse Line Limited to deliver 62 goats valued at Shs 150,000 each. However, on Thursday the beneficiaries declined to receive the goats saying they are of poor quality and sickly.

Some of the angry beneficiaries argued that the goats are too young and sickly to survive under their care. They argue that the supplier was given money to purchase reasonably grown goats instead of really young ones.

https://thecooperator.news/grape-farmers-demand-for-a-fgractory/

Okwir Dyegi, a resident of Got- Ojwang parish says that the goats have no value for money. He claims that each goat could have been purchased at Shs 25,000 and not Shs 150,000 as indicated in the contract.

“Olilim sub-county had budgeted for each goat to be bought at Shs 150,000 but this man brought goats which I am sure, he bought at Shs 25,000 each,” Okwir a Lira based businessman suspected.

“We suggested to him that since he brought small goats, he should give each person an additional Shs 50,000 but he refused. He told us to watch out after 5 years he will be having many goats out of these and we told him to go with the animals.” he adds.

Francis Otyam, the LCIII Chairperson of Olilim Sub County says that the supplier will only receive his payment upon delivering good breeds.

“I and my local people refused to receive the goats because they are very small. We budgeted for big goats which would cost at least Shs 150,000 but I do not think what the supplier brought are more than 4 months old and for that reason, I blame the District Veterinary Officer (DVO) for recommending poor quality breeds for the community.

“How do they expect the community to look after these animals? So, I told the contractor to take the animals back and only deliver when he has good quality. The good news is that his money is still in the sub county’s general fund account and we shall have an emergency meeting to inform the sub-county chief not to pay him.”

But Francis Okello, the supplier says that they failed to purchase quality goats due to the closure of livestock market. The project under DDGF was estimated to cost Shs 93, 000,000 million. DDEG is a revolving program targeting the poor and unemployed youth. It focuses on agriculture and the projects invested are income-generating projects like farming, poultry and value addition.

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Gulu University Stuck With 11 Tons Of Mango Juice

GULU – Gulu University is stuck with 11 tons of mango juice over limited markets in Acholi Sub Region.

The University with support from Operation Wealth Creation (OWC) acquired a mobile juice processing plant from Makerere University in June this year.

The University juice processing pilot study saw 20 tons of the mango juice produced in June; 9 tons have gone into the market while 11 more tons are still stocked.

Dr. Collins Okello, the Dean Faculty of Agriculture and Environment at the university told the Parliamentary Committee for Covid-19 who visited the University on last Friday.

Okello explained that the limited market is threatening the university which could lose over 70 million within the next three months if the product fails to navigate its juice markets.

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

“The preservation is only best within three months and we expect to sell them if we are to avoid losses but the challenge again comes with limited markets” Okello added.

He described the initiative as a step towards the food processing industry that the university looks forward to establish in the future and asked the government to support the production.

“Many of the local farmers who did not have a market for their mango fruits got access to a bigger market with the university and the support is viable” Okello added.

Okello, however asked both the government and the private partners to invest in food processing plants in the region; a move he says will boost commercial viability of the locals.

The University Vice Chancellor George Openjuru Ladaa, however explained that the University is focusing on research for transforming the livelihoods of the Community.

The Labwor County Member of Parliament (MP), Noman Ochero who doubles as a member of the Parliamentary Health Committee has asked the government to prioritize support for research and innovations for study with solution-based approaches in the country.

However, the juice processor which was piloted was able to produce 30 tons of mango fruits while a kilogram of mango went to 500 shillings which is opposed to the previous sale of 500 shilling per basin.

Alfred Okwonga, the Gulu City Council Mayor guaranteed the land acquisition by the university for its expansion which had stalled for nearly 20 years.

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Nwoya Suspects To Be Invaded By Tsetse Flies

NWOYA – Tsetse flies have reportedly invaded Nwoya District as livestock farmers turn to burnt oil to protect animals from the invasion.

The flies have invaded the two Sub Counties of Koch Goma and Lii for the last three weeks which has reportedly affected more than 2,000 herds of cattle in the area.

The flies, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) affects both animals and humans which causes Nagana in cattle and sleeping sickness in humans which is endemic in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Bosco Cankara, a livestock farmer in Agonga Parish from Koch Goma Sub County says he was unable to take his cattle for grazing since the area was highly infested with the flies.

https://thecooperator.news/inaccessible-tractor-hire-services-failing-farmers/

Cankara explained that the deadly attack on the animals occurs in the morning and evening hours which has forced the farmers in the areas to protect their animals using burnt oil.

However, he noted that oil protects the animals for less than 20 minutes from the bite, a situation he described as burdensome which forced him to sell off three of his cows.

Patrick Kinyera, the Local Council II for Agonga Parish has acknowledged the problem in the area adding that he equally had 7 of his cows facing a similar challenge.

Emanuel Okwir, the District Veterinary Officer (DVO) for Nwoya has confirmed the incident but declined to provide details on the phenomenon.

Emmanuel Orach, the Nwoya District Chairman disclosed in a recent interview with theCooperator that the district has written to the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Industry about the problem.

When contacted, Charlotte Kemigyisha, the Public Relations Officer of the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Industry says the team will visit the area early next week to assess the situation.

The pandemic according to the World Health Organization had badly hit Sub Saharan Africa in 1998 with over 40,000 cases reported in the region in both humans and animals.

The infection has reportedly reduced to only 992 in 2019 after 50 years with Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) accounting for 70% of all cases in the Region.

South Sudan, Zambia, Angola, Malawi, Chad reported between 10 to 100 cases while Uganda, Gabon, Ivory Coast, Tanzania reported between 1 to 10 cases in the year.

Many of the affected population according to the report live in remote rural areas with limited access to adequate health care services.

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Cooperative Members Urged To Save For Old Age

YUMBE– The members of Aupi Cooperative Saving and Credit Society Limited operating in Yumbe Town, West Nile Region has been urged to save for their old age benefits if they are to leave in a conducive environment.

The call was made by teams of Uhuru Institute for Social Development (TUI) during a two day-training of more than 80 members of Aupi Cooperative in Yumbe district on savings, finance mobilization, old age planning and surplus management of the Aupi Cooperative members.

One of the trainers Jenifer Akim, the Deputy Commercial Officer Nebbi District says, there is an urgent call for cooperative members to save for their old age benefits when they are still able to raise funds for their up keep in future.

She said the only way the elderly people could plan for their old age is by reducing the number of dependents in order to encourage savings for old age benefits which most times is impossible due to the number of mouths they have to feed.

She says, the elderly persons should empower the girl child through education and allow girls to own land which is a factor of production for commercial agriculture to support them during their old age.

“At your old age, shift to the village and leave your big house and rent part of your house to earn a leaving during your old age to avoid begging your ground children for upkeep,” Akim said.

Akim added that most retired civil servants and powerful business men are dying of frustration because they have failed to plan for their old age which should have made them live happy lives, people should save for their future benefits.

Meanwhile, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Uhuru Institute for Social Development Leonard Okello says the cooperative members should start working for innovative ideas which supports their old age benefits.

He said by 2050, only 10% of the population will be in the villages but 80% will flock towns so, if a wise decision is taken by cooperators to build rental houses in town, he will leave a good life in future.

“You must prepare yourself for changes and never contribute huge sum of money to support weddings, but plan for your old age properly to distance yourself from begging,” Okello said.

According to Amana Small, one of the Aupi Cooperative members who graduated from a grass thatched house to a three-bedroomed house says, she started selling produce after her husband abandoned her with four children which made her to start thinking about old age savings two years ago.

Small adds that being in produce business for more than five years has taught her a lesson to plan for her children and old age benefits since she is a single mother.

https://thecooperator.news/cooperatives-advised-to-adopt-ict/

Small who is enjoying the fruits of her sweat narrated that she started the business with Shs 2 million but has profit of more than Shs 8 million with a fully finished house and a Bajaj motorcycle to boost her transport.

“I’m planning to put rental houses to facilitate the school fees of my children since we were abandoned and their father have not been supporting me with their education such that my old age can be addressed by children,” Amana said.

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Public-Private Partnership For Shea Value Addition

KAMPALA – Lecturers at Makerere University have suggested a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) approach to develop the shea butter value chain in Uganda, for more earnings, both locally and internationally.

These trees are natural perennial plants and commonly found in northern and eastern Uganda.

Its butter is a famed moisturizer nationally and internationally, because it contains vitamins A, E and F. Other people use this butter for cooking among other things. In Acholi, shea nut trees are held in high cultural regard. The butter is used for rituals, body lotion, medicine and cooking.

Prof. Joseph Obua from the department of Forestry, Biodiversity and Tourism at Makerere University, compared shea nuts with coffee, saying they are all flagship commodities with high market values, providing income to farmers and foreign exchange for the country.

However, Prof Obua argued that shea nuts have not been given the attention it deserves.

“The Ministry of Trade Industries and Cooperatives is working together with private actors like cooperative unions and coffee exporters; shea has not yet brought together private and public actors to work together,” Prof Obua said.

Prof. Obua argued that although some people will argue that coffee is grown, while shea is wild, part of the export earnings from this butter can be invested in research and development of shea trees to enhance its productivity and the market value.

“Through Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA), 1% of export earnings from coffee is given to UCDA and 10 % of that amount which is about Shs 2 billion per annum is given to National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO) which is passed on to National Coffee Research Institute (NCRI) to carryout research on coffee and enhance its productivity and market value. Can we develop a shea nut development authority like UCDA to enhance the productivity and market value of shea products?” he asked.

According to Prof Obua, unlike coffee which is exported as a raw material, shea is exported in processed form, meaning it can have a comparative and competitive advantage over coffee.

He added that the total number of households in Eastern and Northern Uganda involved in managing shea on their farmlands, processing shea and selling its products could even be greater than the number of coffee farmers in this country.

Statistics indicate that the number of coffee farmers in terms of households is 1.7 million, and the acreage is nearly 400,000 hectares. Shea parklands cover 45 districts in Eastern and Northern Uganda, approximately about 30 % of the entire number of districts in the country.

“Therefore, in many respects, shea deserves to have similar organizations like UCDA to leverage greater support for it,” Prof. Obua said.

Dr. Kenneth Okia, an Associate professor at Makerere University, also said sustaining shea productivity and the industry requires recognizing the primary producers, especially women, who have managed the resources for generations.

According to Dr. Okia, there is need to tap into women and youth to undertake value addition, to provide a push back for conservation and improvement in land and tree tenure arrangements in parklands for sustainability.

Dr. Francis Omujal, a Research Officer at Ministry of Health, expressed concern that only about 25% of shea butter products goes for export, leaving a greater percentage to be sold within the local community.

https://thecooperator.news/uganda-doubles-increase-in-coffee-exports/

According to Dr. Omujal, the technology for shelling and processing these nuts should be developed for better results and more income.

“Right now, up to 15% of oils is left in the shea nut cake, because the technology being used cannot extract all the oil. This is a huge loss,” Dr. Omujal said.

These suggestions were raised during the first World Shea Day that was commemorated for the first time in Uganda on Friday, July 16th, 2021. The online event, which was organized by Agro Value Added Association and Extension Services, AVAAES, in collaboration with Makerere University attracted more than 150 participants from all over Africa.

The celebration was based on the theme; Enhancing productivity and market potential of Nilotica Shea for improved livelihoods: Take action now.

However, Jaspher Okello, an official from the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, (MOSTI) said some interventions aimed at increasing productivity in the shea value chain are already underway, starting this financial year.

Okello explained that Shea Development Project, will cover stakeholders’ analysis, feasibility study and stakeholder mapping and setting up an office space to begin with structural design in the first year of the five-year period.

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