Farmers get sh550m for NAADs programme
Dec 30, 2008
FARMERS in Apac district have received sh557m for the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) programme.
By Patrick Opio
FARMERS in Apac district have received sh557m for the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) programme.
Addressing a press conference on Monday, the district NAADS coordinator, Johnson Ojok-Ocen, said more than 2,500 farmer’s groups had registered for the programme.
He said all the 15 sub-counties in the district had enrolled for the programme.
Ojok said this year 1,299 groups had benefited from the programme.
Ojok said the farmers’ organisations were formed to develop poultry, aquaculture, and citrus fruit growing.
He added that extension workers and community development officers were being used in the implementation of the programme activities.
Ojok disclosed that each sub-county selected viable enterprises and the beneficiaries were urged to open up accounts in savings and credit cooperative organisations.
He said the benefiting farmers and sub-counties were contributing 2% and 5% respectively to co-fund the activities.
The sub-counties that chose beekeeping were given beehives. “When honey is processed, the price will double and farmers will smile,†Ojok noted.
Ojok said inadequate funding and seasonal climatic changes led to crop failure and are the major drawbacks to the programme.
He added that lack of market for some products, pests and diseases were threatening the objectives of NAADS in the area.
He lamented that the fluctuation in prices of inputs and the slow implementation of activities by some sub-county staff was another threat to the programme.
FARMERS in Apac district have received sh557m for the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) programme.
Addressing a press conference on Monday, the district NAADS coordinator, Johnson Ojok-Ocen, said more than 2,500 farmer’s groups had registered for the programme.
He said all the 15 sub-counties in the district had enrolled for the programme.
Ojok said this year 1,299 groups had benefited from the programme.
Ojok said the farmers’ organisations were formed to develop poultry, aquaculture, and citrus fruit growing.
He added that extension workers and community development officers were being used in the implementation of the programme activities.
Ojok disclosed that each sub-county selected viable enterprises and the beneficiaries were urged to open up accounts in savings and credit cooperative organisations.
He said the benefiting farmers and sub-counties were contributing 2% and 5% respectively to co-fund the activities.
The sub-counties that chose beekeeping were given beehives. “When honey is processed, the price will double and farmers will smile,†Ojok noted.
Ojok said inadequate funding and seasonal climatic changes led to crop failure and are the major drawbacks to the programme.
He added that lack of market for some products, pests and diseases were threatening the objectives of NAADS in the area.
He lamented that the fluctuation in prices of inputs and the slow implementation of activities by some sub-county staff was another threat to the programme.