Karamoja will be transformed - Mrs Museveni
Dec 16, 2010
DEVELOPMENT partners should support Government programmes aimed at transforming and enabling the Karimojong to stop nomadic activities, the First Lady and Minister of State for Karamoja Affairs, Janet Museveni, has said.
By Vision Reporter
DEVELOPMENT partners should support Government programmes aimed at transforming and enabling the Karimojong to stop nomadic activities, the First Lady and Minister of State for Karamoja Affairs, Janet Museveni, has said.
Speaking during a policy dialogue on pastoralism and agricultural production systems at the Office of the Prime Minister in Kampala on Tuesday, Mrs Museveni said Karamoja is not different from other parts of the cattle corridor, citing Nyabushozi, which also experiences dry spells and severe droughts.
In a statement released from her office, Mrs Museveni argued that the same methods used to transform other societies in the cattle corridor from primitive to modern lives must be employed in Karamoja.
She said Uganda should harness nature to meet the needs of the people in the cattle corridor by constructing dams, growing, conserving and harvesting pasture and through proper land use and environment management. These, she said, would help the Karimojong settle down and develop.
Mrs Museveni was reacting to a suggestion by the Donor Working Group that the Government should develop a policy on pastoralism and agro-pastoralism to support the transition from humanitarian interventions to development programmes in Karamoja.
The First Lady noted that the dangers of nomadism, as shown by the Karamoja situation, outweigh its benefits and that the Government, through the Karamoja Integrated Disarmament and Development Plan and other programmes, was committed to promoting long-term food security and development.
She said the Government plans to carry out emergency measures to give the Karimojong hope, including improving agricultural yields, providing enough water for people and animals, sending children to school, setting up health centres and promoting security and order.
Julius Zaake, a Makerere University soil science lecturer, said although Karamoja soils were more fertile than those in many parts of the country, their biggest problem was that they do not retain water and crack in the dry season. This, he said, could be addressed by scientifically manipulating the soil to retain water, nutrients and air.
Dr. Robert Limlim, the Northern Uganda Social Action Fund II director, noted that the Karimojong had changed from being solely dependent on pastoralism to agriculturists and industrialists.
He called for change among all stakeholders in the way they look at Karamoja when planning for its transformation.
The state minister for animal husbandry, Maj. Bright Rwamirama, said the major issues affecting livestock productivity in Karamoja were lack of water, insecurity and animal diseases.
DEVELOPMENT partners should support Government programmes aimed at transforming and enabling the Karimojong to stop nomadic activities, the First Lady and Minister of State for Karamoja Affairs, Janet Museveni, has said.
Speaking during a policy dialogue on pastoralism and agricultural production systems at the Office of the Prime Minister in Kampala on Tuesday, Mrs Museveni said Karamoja is not different from other parts of the cattle corridor, citing Nyabushozi, which also experiences dry spells and severe droughts.
In a statement released from her office, Mrs Museveni argued that the same methods used to transform other societies in the cattle corridor from primitive to modern lives must be employed in Karamoja.
She said Uganda should harness nature to meet the needs of the people in the cattle corridor by constructing dams, growing, conserving and harvesting pasture and through proper land use and environment management. These, she said, would help the Karimojong settle down and develop.
Mrs Museveni was reacting to a suggestion by the Donor Working Group that the Government should develop a policy on pastoralism and agro-pastoralism to support the transition from humanitarian interventions to development programmes in Karamoja.
The First Lady noted that the dangers of nomadism, as shown by the Karamoja situation, outweigh its benefits and that the Government, through the Karamoja Integrated Disarmament and Development Plan and other programmes, was committed to promoting long-term food security and development.
She said the Government plans to carry out emergency measures to give the Karimojong hope, including improving agricultural yields, providing enough water for people and animals, sending children to school, setting up health centres and promoting security and order.
Julius Zaake, a Makerere University soil science lecturer, said although Karamoja soils were more fertile than those in many parts of the country, their biggest problem was that they do not retain water and crack in the dry season. This, he said, could be addressed by scientifically manipulating the soil to retain water, nutrients and air.
Dr. Robert Limlim, the Northern Uganda Social Action Fund II director, noted that the Karimojong had changed from being solely dependent on pastoralism to agriculturists and industrialists.
He called for change among all stakeholders in the way they look at Karamoja when planning for its transformation.
The state minister for animal husbandry, Maj. Bright Rwamirama, said the major issues affecting livestock productivity in Karamoja were lack of water, insecurity and animal diseases.