Museveni warns Onek over NAADS
Feb 10, 2009
PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni has warned the agriculture minister, Hillary Onek, against mishandling the implementation of the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) programme.
By Joyce Namutebi
PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni has warned the agriculture minister, Hillary Onek, against mishandling the implementation of the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) programme.
In a five-page letter, Museveni said he was writing to “clarify one point one more last time.â€
He instructed Onek to stick to the six homesteads per parish, instead of scattering resources to many homesteads.
Under the Bonna Baggawale (Prosperity-for-All), the Government selects six households per parish to be supported as model farmers.
He said when he met his neighbours in Kisozi recently, he discovered that there was a “problem of scattering resources.â€
“This is not acceptable to me. NAADS are again bringing confusion with ‘demonstration’ farmers, ‘model’ farmers, ‘lead’ farmers, etc,†Museveni said in his letter.
He added: “I do not care what you call those farmers. Resources should only be spent on six homesteads. If there is one lead farmer, one model and four demonstration farmers, that is perfect with me. â€
Museveni also asked the minister why he was hiring advisory services from elsewhere to implement the NAADS programme, instead of using the existing government extension workers.
“We directed that the NAADS programme be implemented by existing government extension workers. Why do you hire other ‘advisory services’ from elsewhere? This is short-hand for stealing,†he said.
Museveni said the government had also directed that the committee that selects the six homesteads be chaired by the LC3 chairperson, and to also include the sub-county chairperson of the ruling party, the sub-county NAADS coordinator, secretaries at the sub-county and the chairperson for the farmers’ forum.
“Any NAADS official that fails to implement this or any other provision in the NAADS programme will face severe sanctions,†the president added.
PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni has warned the agriculture minister, Hillary Onek, against mishandling the implementation of the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) programme.
In a five-page letter, Museveni said he was writing to “clarify one point one more last time.â€
He instructed Onek to stick to the six homesteads per parish, instead of scattering resources to many homesteads.
Under the Bonna Baggawale (Prosperity-for-All), the Government selects six households per parish to be supported as model farmers.
He said when he met his neighbours in Kisozi recently, he discovered that there was a “problem of scattering resources.â€
“This is not acceptable to me. NAADS are again bringing confusion with ‘demonstration’ farmers, ‘model’ farmers, ‘lead’ farmers, etc,†Museveni said in his letter.
He added: “I do not care what you call those farmers. Resources should only be spent on six homesteads. If there is one lead farmer, one model and four demonstration farmers, that is perfect with me. â€
Museveni also asked the minister why he was hiring advisory services from elsewhere to implement the NAADS programme, instead of using the existing government extension workers.
“We directed that the NAADS programme be implemented by existing government extension workers. Why do you hire other ‘advisory services’ from elsewhere? This is short-hand for stealing,†he said.
Museveni said the government had also directed that the committee that selects the six homesteads be chaired by the LC3 chairperson, and to also include the sub-county chairperson of the ruling party, the sub-county NAADS coordinator, secretaries at the sub-county and the chairperson for the farmers’ forum.
“Any NAADS official that fails to implement this or any other provision in the NAADS programme will face severe sanctions,†the president added.