Busoga farmers receive 50,000 oil palm seedlings

MAYUGE - The Government has distributed 50,000 oil palm seedlings to farmers in Busoga region's Mayuge Hub, under the National Oil Palm Project (NOPP), as part of its broader effort to boost agricultural productivity and improve rural livelihoods.

The Mayuge Hub covers the districts of Namayingo, Bugiri and Mayuge, where the Government has rolled out oil palm farming, extending cultivation beyond the traditional hubs of Kalangala and Buvuma.

The Government in partnership with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), has mobilised $210m (about shillings 716.9 billion) to finance the project. The funds are channelled through Equity Bank.

The seedlings were officially handed over by the agriculture state minister, Fred Bwino Kyakulaga, who also flagged off the oil palm planting exercise for this season.

While officiating at the launch at Ikulwe NARO satellite station in Mayuge, Kyakulaga said the project was designed to empower smallholder farmers, increase domestic vegetable oil production and improve health of the population through increased vegetable oil consumption.

He added that the initiative will also address rural poverty, a long-standing challenge in Busoga, and promote agro-industrialisation.

“This initiative is a game-changer. At harvest, a farmer with an acre can earn about Shillings 500,000 to 1,000, 000 every month, while those with about five or more acres can directly get at least 2.5 million to five million monthly for 30 years. The Government has provided a solution to Busoga’s poverty and unemployment challenges through the National Oil Palm project,” Kyakulaga said.

According to the 2019/2020 report released by the Uganda Bureau of Statistics, Busoga was ranked the poorest sub-region.

He reassured farmers not to worry about markets, saying Uganda alone, even without exports, has a ready demand for oil palm, soap, cosmetics and other products that use palm oil as a raw material.

Kyakulaga said the initiative is expected to cut down Uganda’s expenditure on imported palm oil, which currently stands at $300 million (about shillings 1.1 trillion).

“This project is going to transform the lives of our people. Oil palm is a model crop that will not only increase household incomes but also help Uganda save money we spend annually importing palm oil,” Kyakulaga said.

He said the project is expected to expand to the other five districts of Iganga, Bugweri, Luuka, Jinja and Jinja in the next phase.

Shillings 1.2 billion earmarked

Through a partnership with Equity Bank, the Government has disbursed shillings 1.2 billion to farmers to kickstart production. The funds, managed under a credit facility, are used to provide farmers with seedlings, fertilisers, pesticides and training in modern agronomic practices.

“Equity Bank is also employing modern banking systems to track every transaction, verify beneficiaries and ensure funds reach the genuine oil palm farmers,” Equity Bank director of public sector and social investment Catherine Psomgen said.

The funds are disbursed to farmers as a loan at an interest rate of 10%, payable by farmers in a ten-year repayment period.

Kyakulaga explained that residents who may not participate in oil palm cultivation will be supported with alternative livelihood projects such as piggery, poultry and other income-generating ventures.

He further noted that the project will include the rehabilitation and construction of 360 kilometres of road network to facilitate easier transportation of produce and improve access within farms.

Minister of State for Agriculture Hon. Fred Bwino Kyakulaga flags off vehicles carrying oil palm seedlings to farmers in the Mayuge hub. (Credit: Betty Angatai)

Delays of accessing seedlings

However, despite the optimism, farmers in the Mayuge hub expressed concern over delayed access to seedlings, which they said has affected planting schedules and overall production. They called upon the government to establish a nursery bed within the Mayuge hub to ensure timely access to quality seedlings.

“Access to seedlings has been our biggest challenge. Currently, farmers have to get them from Kalangala, Buvuma, or Sango Bay gazatted nurseries, which causes delays and increases costs,” said Siraji Waiswa, the Chairperson of the Oil Palm Growers Association in Namayingo District.

He noted that most farmers have to wait up to two years to receive oil palm seedlings, a delay that has dampened interest in cultivation.

Moses Mabandha, the chairperson of the Mayuge District Oil Palm Association, said having a local nursery would ensure a steady and timely supply of seedlings to farmers and also promote the sustainability of the project in the long term.

Waiswa also urged the agriculture ministry to find solutions for the mole rats locally known as enfukoin, the kisoga dialect, which have reportedly destroyed oil palms planted across Buswale, Buyinja and Buhemba sub-counties in Namayingo.

“We have lost 263 out of the 24,081 oil palms planted so far, which is a total setback for farmers who must replace the seedlings. Under this loan scheme, a replacement order costs about shillings 30,000, translating to 3% covering the seedlings, transport, fertilisers and other necessary inputs,” he said.

He said the seedlings are provided to farmers on loan, repayable after harvest.

Since its inception, a total of 3,000 hectares of land have been surveyed for oil palm cultivation in Namayingo, Mayuge and Bugiri out of the 5,000 hectares planned under the Mayuge hub.

Land question

The minister, however, noted that in some sub-counties earmarked for the project, such as Lolwe, oil palm cultivation had not yet begun due to unresolved land ownership disputes between the tourism ministry and local residents.

“The people of Lolwe Island have not yet started planting because of issues surrounding land ownership. The Ministry of Tourism mistakenly titled the entire sub-county instead of 48 acres meant for tourism sites, leaving residents uncertain about their land rights,” Kyakulaga said.

He added that discussions are underway with the Ministry of Tourism to rectify the matter by detitling the rest of the sub-county and retaining title only for the 48 acres designated for tourism purposes.