A donors’ delegation from the Lives and Livelihoods Fund has started its field visits to selected project sites of the Local Economic Growth Support (LEGS) project in Toro region.

The Lives and Livelihoods Fund supports the Government's development projects through the Islamic Development Bank.

The donors were on Tuesday afternoon received by local government state minister Victoria Businge Rusoke in Kyenjojo district.

Rusoke later led the visiting delegation to the farmer-owned Mabale Tea Factory for hands-on experience in tea farming and processing.

She told the donors that farmers who have benefitted from the project intervention programmes of fertiliser supply, water for production and value-addition facilities, among others have started registering great strides.

The visiting donors’ delegation together with Local Government Minister Victoria Rusoke having a guided tour of the Mabale tea factory

Because of the project intervention, Rusoke said most farmers have now started to adapt extensive farming and value addition.

“As government, we appreciate your kindness to support Ugandan farmers and I'm happy to inform you that the benefitting farmers are happy and their yields are increasing as well as their income,” Rusoke said.

She added that the roads that have been constructed under the Local Economic Growth Project continue to facilitate farmers to access markets with ease.

“Most roads are linking districts to facilitate trade and our target as government is now moving towards value addition so that our farmers are able to gain more from their sweat,” she said.

Fertilisers improve tea quality
Mabale Tea Factory general manager Onesmus Matsiko said the supply of fertilisers to farmers has helped improve the tea quality and yield per square metre in the region.

“When you apply fertiliser, you don’t only get a better yield, but a better quality as well. On the other hand, when you don’t apply fertilise,r the leaf stops growing and it turns dark green” Matsiko said.

Mabale Tea Factory board chairperson Patrick Sisa called for continued donor support to the tea sector mainly in the form of fertilisers and processing machinery.

“We would really like to harness this relationship so that our farmers can continue to be supported to improve their livelihoods and also develop the tea sector,” Sisa said.

Sisa told the visiting delegation that Kyenjojo district is 80% dependent on tea.

“If the tea sector is in trouble, it means that the economy of Kyenjojo district is equally in trouble” Sisa said.

Kyenjojo district chairperson Gilbert Rubaihayo called on the need for the project extension to be able to benefit more farmers.

“The LEGS project is really good and my request is that this project continues because it will benefit more people,” Rubaihayo said.

James Carty, the head of the donors’ delegation, appreciated the involvement of the local community in the country’s development agenda.

He also appreciated the incredible returns on investment made so far.

“We have had a wonderful opportunity to see what really is possible when local communities are involved in development. Incredible returns can easily be noticed on the investments that we have so far made,” Carty said.