Karamoja gets sh9b drought fund
Aug 25, 2008
KARAMOJA is to get a 4m euros (about sh10b) project to fight drought. The money, which will be provided by the European Commission Humanitarian Aid Organisation (ECHO), will be used to fight hunger in the five districts which form Karamoja region.
By Ronald Kalyango
KARAMOJA is to get a 4m euros (about sh10b) project to fight drought. The money, which will be provided by the European Commission Humanitarian Aid Organisation (ECHO), will be used to fight hunger in the five districts which form Karamoja region.
The districts are Moroto, Nakapiripirit, Kaboong, Abim and Kotido.
The 18-month project is part of the Regional Drought Decision project that benefits four other countries in the Greater Horn of Africa. The countries are Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia. The whole project is worth 30m euros (sh72b).
“We decided to concentrate on Karamoja because it is the most drought prone region in the country,†Percy Misika, the Food and Agriculture Organisation’s (FAO) country representative, said at the launch of the project in Moroto.
Seven organisations have been chosen by ECHO to provide water and livestock development activities, while FAO will monitor and evaluate the project.
“With good coordination and effective implementation, the interventions will have a positive bearing on the livelihoods of the agro-pastoralists,†Misika said.
He said the chosen organisations would rehabilitate boreholes, distil water ponds and dams, construct surface and sub-surface dams, train and equip community animal health workers and strengthen drought warning systems.
Karamoja state minister, Aston Kajara, said the Government was in the process of procuring oxen and ploughs to enable the people grow Upland rice, plant fruit trees and participate in poultry and bee-keeping.
Kajara said after more farmers have embraced rice production, they would expose them to light processing facilities like rice haulers, maize millers and milk processing plants.
“The Government’s mission is prosperity for all. We are not concentrating in other districts alone. We have plans of encouraging the Karimojong to form savings and credit cooperative societies for better incomes,†he said.
Kajara said the Government also intends to equip more Karimojong with vocational skills.
He said other plans include introduction of tractors for large-scale farming, improved seeds and drought-resistant crops.
The Moroto district chairperson, Peterken Lochap, asked the Government for a tarmacked road.
KARAMOJA is to get a 4m euros (about sh10b) project to fight drought. The money, which will be provided by the European Commission Humanitarian Aid Organisation (ECHO), will be used to fight hunger in the five districts which form Karamoja region.
The districts are Moroto, Nakapiripirit, Kaboong, Abim and Kotido.
The 18-month project is part of the Regional Drought Decision project that benefits four other countries in the Greater Horn of Africa. The countries are Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia. The whole project is worth 30m euros (sh72b).
“We decided to concentrate on Karamoja because it is the most drought prone region in the country,†Percy Misika, the Food and Agriculture Organisation’s (FAO) country representative, said at the launch of the project in Moroto.
Seven organisations have been chosen by ECHO to provide water and livestock development activities, while FAO will monitor and evaluate the project.
“With good coordination and effective implementation, the interventions will have a positive bearing on the livelihoods of the agro-pastoralists,†Misika said.
He said the chosen organisations would rehabilitate boreholes, distil water ponds and dams, construct surface and sub-surface dams, train and equip community animal health workers and strengthen drought warning systems.
Karamoja state minister, Aston Kajara, said the Government was in the process of procuring oxen and ploughs to enable the people grow Upland rice, plant fruit trees and participate in poultry and bee-keeping.
Kajara said after more farmers have embraced rice production, they would expose them to light processing facilities like rice haulers, maize millers and milk processing plants.
“The Government’s mission is prosperity for all. We are not concentrating in other districts alone. We have plans of encouraging the Karimojong to form savings and credit cooperative societies for better incomes,†he said.
Kajara said the Government also intends to equip more Karimojong with vocational skills.
He said other plans include introduction of tractors for large-scale farming, improved seeds and drought-resistant crops.
The Moroto district chairperson, Peterken Lochap, asked the Government for a tarmacked road.