Gulu farmers' groups get equipment

Apr 06, 2016

The groups consist of 40% former LRA abductees, children born in captivity and war affected people

World Vision Uganda on Monday distributed farm equipment to six farmers' groups in Odek, Lalogi and Lakwana sub counties in Gulu worth sh6.9m.

The equipment distributed includes 249 pairs of gum boots, 24 watering cans and 18 pressure sprayers.

The farm equipment was distributed to Pur Yubu Paco and Can Yella groups in Lakwana, Mic pa Lacwec and Opa pi Wa farmers groups in Odek and Wakem Kwene and Lacwec aye Ngeyo groups in Lalogi Sub County.

All these groups are mainly composed of former LRA returnees, children born in captivity, war affected persons to help them reintegrate, build their capacity and give them economic empowerment through agricultural activity.

Samuel Odora, World Vision Uganda community development facilitator (CDF) who distributed the equipment said the distributed farm equipment cost sh6,930,000.

"We distributed these farms equipment to the grouped farmers to build their capacity and increase their household income so that they engage in farming," he added.

Odora said the groups consist of 40% former LRA abductees, children born in captivity and war affected people which they support them to reintegrate and unite them with community as they engage in farming to stop stigmatization from community and forget what has happened to them in the bush.

He added that they also distributed 12 oxen worth sh9m and 120 pieces of hand hoes to Lacwec aye Ngeyo in Lalogi, Mic pa Lacwec in Odek and Can Yella groups in Lakwana Sub County to boost their farming.

Odora said that "we will distribute the groups' seeds like soya bean, bean, onion, cabbage, ginger, sim sim and ground nut so that they plant in a groups.

Happy Kenneth, Regional program manager Word Vision Uganda said they are working in sub counties of Lalogi, Odek and Lakwana in Gulu implementing formerly abducted person reintegration and economic empowerment through agricultural activity under formerly abductees' person reintegration empowerment project.

 ome of the cows that were handed over to an ella farmers group in akwana sub county hoto by ackson itara Some of the cows that were handed over to Can Yella farmers group in Lakwana sub county. Photo by Jackson Kitara

 

He added that they are also implementing water, hygiene and sanitation to promote hygiene, sanitation and water where they are commissioning borehole where there is lack of clean water to community.

Kenneth said they are also working in northern region under project of area development program (ADP) targeting vulnerable community to help them increase their household income in community.

"We want to introduce block farming system to the groups' farmers that will be a learning centre for farmers or will be used as demonstration farm to other farmers that they will learn from each other for those farmers that did not benefit from our project," Kenneth added.

Kenneth said they wanted the farmers to adopt the block farming system to unite and encourage farming together in group to reduce stress because some vulnerable people thought they are useless in community.

He added that "we want to train them to take farming as business, not for home consumption, that is why we want to introduce them block farming and seeds like onion, ginger, cabbage that they will grow in large scale".

Kenneth said they will introduce the project to sub counties like Bobi, Koro, Bungatira, Unyama and Paicho to empower family to support their children and engage in farming.

He added that after harvesting the farm produce, they will get market for farm produce to the groups so that their produce is bought in bulk with reasonable profit.

Robert Nyeko, the chairman local council one Ora Tido village in Lukwor parish, Odek Sub County said the water, hygiene and sanitation is helping community to erect hygiene facilities.

He added that his village has low latrine coverage and other hygiene facility which World Vision is sensitizing community to erect them to improve hygiene sanitation and clean water.

"We have low latrine coverage in my village where in every 10 homesteads, only three or four may have latrine and other hygiene in their homes and lack clean water. They are digging us boreholes where there is no clean water," Nyeko said.

Jabio Opwonya chairman Wakem Kwene group said World Vision has united former LRA returnees and children born in captivity with community by reintegrating them under one farmers group with stigmatization.

"These people have returned and settled in community without discrimination and we have been engaged with them in active farming to generate income," Opwonya said.

Pilimena Ajok, a widow said the World Vision is helping her to generate money to take six children to school that her husband left her.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});