Farmers get sh23b from FAO
Apr 26, 2011
THE Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has set aside sh22.8b for emergency and rehabilitation programmes in northern Uganda and Karamoja, Percy Misika, the body’s country representative, has said.
By Taddeo Bwambale
THE Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has set aside sh22.8b for emergency and rehabilitation programmes in northern Uganda and Karamoja, Percy Misika, the body’s country representative, has said.
He said the funds would be used to implement 1,600 farmer field schools, an arrangement through which the body offers training and planting materials to farmers to improve their productivity.
Misika made the disclosure at a workshop to unveil the body’s new programme for Karamoja and northern Uganda, held in Kampala yesterday.
The programme targets over 48,000 farmers in both regions, who will also get investment grants for their projects and acquire skills in crop and animal production.
The initiative involves organising farmers into groups of up to 30 members who receive money for a revolving fund.
Misika said the funds would also be used to set up simple irrigation and water harvesting technologies, storage facilities for farm produce and market intelligent systems to provide market information to the farmers.
He also said the body would help set up early warning systems to help communities cope with challenges brought by unpredictable weather and market forces.
He said FAO was working with other stakeholders to secure additional funding for its development programmes countrywide.
Misika said the body would also provide support to farmers in other regions by linking them to credit facilities through commercial banks, distribution of quality crop varieties and soil fertility improvement.
He observed that although the situation in northern Uganda and Karamoja had improved, more funding was needed to help communities cope with the challenge of food scarcity.
According to a weather report from the meteorological department, the Karamoja region, which has only one cropping season, is expected to receive less rain by June, compared to other parts of the country.
Misika, whose term of office expires this month, commended the media for highlighting the challenge of food security in the country.
He will replace former agriculture
minister, Victoria Sekitoleko, as FAO representative to China, North Korea and Mongolia.
THE Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has set aside sh22.8b for emergency and rehabilitation programmes in northern Uganda and Karamoja, Percy Misika, the body’s country representative, has said.
He said the funds would be used to implement 1,600 farmer field schools, an arrangement through which the body offers training and planting materials to farmers to improve their productivity.
Misika made the disclosure at a workshop to unveil the body’s new programme for Karamoja and northern Uganda, held in Kampala yesterday.
The programme targets over 48,000 farmers in both regions, who will also get investment grants for their projects and acquire skills in crop and animal production.
The initiative involves organising farmers into groups of up to 30 members who receive money for a revolving fund.
Misika said the funds would also be used to set up simple irrigation and water harvesting technologies, storage facilities for farm produce and market intelligent systems to provide market information to the farmers.
He also said the body would help set up early warning systems to help communities cope with challenges brought by unpredictable weather and market forces.
He said FAO was working with other stakeholders to secure additional funding for its development programmes countrywide.
Misika said the body would also provide support to farmers in other regions by linking them to credit facilities through commercial banks, distribution of quality crop varieties and soil fertility improvement.
He observed that although the situation in northern Uganda and Karamoja had improved, more funding was needed to help communities cope with the challenge of food scarcity.
According to a weather report from the meteorological department, the Karamoja region, which has only one cropping season, is expected to receive less rain by June, compared to other parts of the country.
Misika, whose term of office expires this month, commended the media for highlighting the challenge of food security in the country.
He will replace former agriculture
minister, Victoria Sekitoleko, as FAO representative to China, North Korea and Mongolia.