Kalangala story on oil palm inaccurate

By Billy Butamanya

I am writing in reference to the article which appeared on page 10 of the New Vision of March 30, 2015 titled “Kalangala farmers abandon Oil Palm”.  

I have had an opportunity of visiting Bugala Island (the main island in Kalangala) where oil palm growing is presently taking place. During my visit, I had the opportunity of meeting several oil palm farmers and their leaders, some district leaders, the oil palm processor and the wananchi.  

I observed the tremendous economic and social transformation that is presently taking place in Bugala Island thanks to the oil palm growing project.

Many farmers have put up good residential houses and commercial buildings, bought cars, are sending their children to good schools while very many of them are looking forward to a bright future.

The farmers’ pay day is one of the best days on Bugala Island. Kalangala Island now boasts of two ferries from Bukakata and a daily ship service from Entebbe. Full time power is now available on Bugala Island.

Kalangala Oil Palm Growing Project (KOPGP) was designed and is being implemented in a way that maximises the oil palm farmers’ benefits. For example, the farmers are assured of a market for their produce (FFB), the price for FFB is among others pegged to the international palm oil price and the exchange rate between the Uganda Shilling and the US dollar and is reviewed every month.

The farmers receive high quality inputs that are supplied at cost while KOPGP provides them with the best extension services unequaled in the whole country.

Oil palms if well looked after start yielding at 3.5 – 4 years and continue doing so for 21 years (an oil palm tree has a life span of 25 years). Once well established and maintained, harvesting is done every two weeks. Maintenance costs are very low.

The people from Buvuma, Bunyama and Bubembe islands are already lining up to join the project having seen the benefits their compatriots from Bugala Island are enjoying. Even some progressive farmers from the neighbouring parts of Masaka District are already growing oil palms on their own.

There is presently about 1,800 oil palm farmers on Bugala Island and it would have been better if the New Vision reporter had bothered to find out the experiences of the other farmers. Had she done this, she would have found that the majority of the oil palm farmers are very happy with their business.

I have no doubt the dissatisfied farmers are those that fall in the category of Ugandans who want quick gains with little or no input at all. Basically, the Government assisted the farmers to establish and maintain their oil palm gardens, made roads up to the farms, provides them with all inputs, collects their produce, etc and does this on a loan that attracts 10% p.a. recoverable from the farmers’ sales when harvesting commences.

Those that sold their gardens; did they do so at a loss or at a profit? Besides, were they better off before they started growing oil palms? 

In my opinion, the people of Kalangala should be grateful to the Government for starting the oil palm growing project and in particular, President Museveni, who has single handedly promoted and ensured that this project took off in spite of the many distractions.

If they knew, very many districts in Uganda would be envious of Kalangala because of this project. There is presently no other agricultural project that beats the oil palm project in benefiting farmers in Uganda.

I would urge the Government to consider extending it to other parts of the country.

The writer is a development worker and a cattle farmer