VP Ssekandi commends Kapchorwa farmers

By Vision Reporter

The Vice President Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi has commended farmers in Sebei area for taking on farming as a business and value addition which he said, will go a long way in improving the people’s livelihoods.

The Vice President was yesterday addressing members of Sebei Elgon Cooperative Union in Kapchorwa town after commissioning the multi-purpose plant for value addition for barley, maize coffee and wheat owned by the Union.

The Vice President said that the plant was in line with Government plan for households in the country to earn at least 20 million shillings per annum and urged leaders at all levels to mobilise people into viable and sustainable production.

The Vice President urged farmers to selectively focus on specific crops that have domestic and regional markets that will yield maximum earnings to enhance their household earnings and reduce the poverty levels especially in rural areas.

Ssekandi said that the plant was a key component in quality assurance and value addition especially for cereal crops in Sebei area and urged management to ensure that it runs efficiently and cost effectively and directed the Ministry of energy to provide a transformer for the plant.

The Vice President commended the Federation of Uganda Exporters for organizing farmers in Sebei under one area cooperative enterprise which he said will go a long way in addressing quality, quantity and consistency issues he said are critical in the modern market.

He also appreciated Breweries for opening up market to barley and sorghum farmers in the area and thanked the leadership of Kapchorwa district for the unity and peace that has enabled the district to remain table.

The Chairman of Sebei Elgon Cooperative Union, Major Juma Seiko requested government to help the union with startup working capital of to enable farmers get produce at reasonable prices, a modern maize mill and packaging machine.

He also asked Government to help with the restocking of Kapuyoyon farm whose animals were looted by the pokot rustlers, a seed breeding and multiplication plant at the farm a transformer and tax waiver on agricultural inputs to put the farm back to use.

Kapchorwa district council Chairman, Cheptoris Sam Mangusho in a memorandum for Sebei sub-region leaders said that the region is very productive and commercial farming is significantly practiced and urged government to improve the road network to reduce the difficulties in transporting the perishable goods to the market.

He thanked Government for its efforts to rid the region of the adverse effects and demeaning practice of Female Genital Mutilations(FGM)) by enacting the anti-female genital mutilation law.

The function was also addressed by the State Minister for transport, Dr. Stephen Chebrot who urged the people of Sebei to continue supporting and trusting the movement leadership.

It was also attended by a number of political and civil leaders from Sebei area.

Earlier, the Vice President visited a simsim farm by a Korean national at Hatari in Bulambuli, Maize in Kapchorwa, Barley and wheat farms in Kweeni Districts.  
 
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