Give farming land to youth, not foreigners
Jan 05, 2010
<b>Letter of the day</b><br><br>EDITOR— The Sunday Vision article entitled, “The scramble for Africa II, land grabbing beginsâ€, serves as a whistleblower to our investment regulatory authority and the Government. A detailed report has been given showing the interests of developed countries i
Letter of the day
EDITOR— The Sunday Vision article entitled, “The scramble for Africa II, land grabbing beginsâ€, serves as a whistleblower to our investment regulatory authority and the Government. A detailed report has been given showing the interests of developed countries in aquiring land on the African continent.
This will not in any way benefit the Africans, given the investment priorities that many have already suggested or implemented. Most countries and companies, whose interest is investing in agriculture, are not actually aiming at producing food to help the hungry 17 million Ugandans, but the increasing global demand for biofuels in developed nations.
Jatropha, sorghum and soya are among the crops which most foreign governments and companies are investing in, but it has been observed that over 90% of the produce is not sold in the local market. In the short run, this will create employment to a few individuals since the farms are highly mechanised, increase revenue for the government and develop infrastructure depending on the negotiations with the government. However, they practise monoculture which depletes the soil, use fertilisers, few jobs are created and much of the produce is sold to foreign companies.
As a developing country which is hungry for investors, Uganda is prey to this, but we can have an alternative. We are faced with a huge problem of unemployment, the reason we have to attract many investors into the country. I am, therefore, proposing that the Uganda Investment Authority, under the administration of Dr. Maggie Kigozi, in collaboration with the ministries of finance, gender, local government, trade and industry, should come up with a development strategy for the unemployed skilled youth, who can engage in agriculture.
The Youth Fund and Prosperity-for-All funds should be used to open up farm land, buy tractors, irrigation and construction of storage facilities. This will create employment for the youth.
The biggest challenge facing the youth today is lack of land and capital to engage in production, but once land for investment and funds are provided, the problem will be half- way solved and then the abundant labour will make the production cycle complete.
Some youth and other Ugandans are willing to invest in farming without waiting for financial support from the Government, but have no land. I appeal to the relevant authorities to make the land for investment, location and amount known so that Ugandans, especially the youth, who can apply for it and pay the required rental fees, if need be.
We shall achieve more from this option than offering the land to foreign investors, whose intentions may not solve our current problems.
Patrick Ruhweza
Norway
EDITOR— The Sunday Vision article entitled, “The scramble for Africa II, land grabbing beginsâ€, serves as a whistleblower to our investment regulatory authority and the Government. A detailed report has been given showing the interests of developed countries in aquiring land on the African continent.
This will not in any way benefit the Africans, given the investment priorities that many have already suggested or implemented. Most countries and companies, whose interest is investing in agriculture, are not actually aiming at producing food to help the hungry 17 million Ugandans, but the increasing global demand for biofuels in developed nations.
Jatropha, sorghum and soya are among the crops which most foreign governments and companies are investing in, but it has been observed that over 90% of the produce is not sold in the local market. In the short run, this will create employment to a few individuals since the farms are highly mechanised, increase revenue for the government and develop infrastructure depending on the negotiations with the government. However, they practise monoculture which depletes the soil, use fertilisers, few jobs are created and much of the produce is sold to foreign companies.
As a developing country which is hungry for investors, Uganda is prey to this, but we can have an alternative. We are faced with a huge problem of unemployment, the reason we have to attract many investors into the country. I am, therefore, proposing that the Uganda Investment Authority, under the administration of Dr. Maggie Kigozi, in collaboration with the ministries of finance, gender, local government, trade and industry, should come up with a development strategy for the unemployed skilled youth, who can engage in agriculture.
The Youth Fund and Prosperity-for-All funds should be used to open up farm land, buy tractors, irrigation and construction of storage facilities. This will create employment for the youth.
The biggest challenge facing the youth today is lack of land and capital to engage in production, but once land for investment and funds are provided, the problem will be half- way solved and then the abundant labour will make the production cycle complete.
Some youth and other Ugandans are willing to invest in farming without waiting for financial support from the Government, but have no land. I appeal to the relevant authorities to make the land for investment, location and amount known so that Ugandans, especially the youth, who can apply for it and pay the required rental fees, if need be.
We shall achieve more from this option than offering the land to foreign investors, whose intentions may not solve our current problems.
Patrick Ruhweza
Norway