I can finally cater for my big family thanks to my project

Jan 25, 2012

“My family selected dairy farming as the best project for the Lakiche Orphans”

By Ayiga Ondoga
Married to Fatima Auma in 1980 and later to two other women, BettyAfoyocan and Jackline Afoyocan, Odongo has 23 children,10 boys and 13 girls. He confessed that life became a nightmare after losing his job, which made him think seriously about the hardships awaiting him in Leng-Congi Patek Jukia village, Nebbi district.

Education background

Born in 1958 to Mzee Felice Odongo and Tereza Ocida of the same village, Odongo says he attended Nebbi Primary School for Primary 1 from 1965 to 1970 and completed Primary 7 at Koch Primary in 1971.

He joined St. Aloysious Collage Nyapea from 1972 to 1975 and did a diploma course at Busitema National Agricultural College from 1976 to 1979.

Work experience

Odongo worked in the then department of agriculture, Nebbi district, from 1980 to 1986 as an agricultural mechanic grade II. From 1986, Odongo worked as an officer in charge mechanisation division in Nebbi district in 1995. He was later transferred from public service to Nebbi Local Government from 1995 to 2005. Odongo says he was struggling with life because he has a very big family.

“I was retrenched as an assistant engineering officer grade 1 but later got employment as a transport officer in Nebbi district.”

Project background

Odongo said he started the Lakiche Farmers Group which was registered in his names and that of his wives. They started with growing of selected crops which included sweet cassava, maize, simsim, millet and upland rice.

“We practised agro-forestry and planted trees like eucalyptus, mahogany and fruit trees including mango, jack fruit, avocados, orange and grape vines for making wine. We also ventured into poultry,” Odongo says.

He adds that more problems came on board when his cousin and step brothers died and left four orphans with him to look after. “In 1988, my brother was murdered by thugs. He left behind two boys to take care of. Later, another brother of mine died leaving behind 23 children and three wives. The women later got married to other men,”

Odongo narrates. He says when life was not smooth, he invited a Northern Uganda Social Action Fund (NUSAF) facilitator when the programme was introduced in Nebbi district. Odongo wanted advice on how to undertake another project to generate household income to assist in managing family affairs.

“My family selected dairy farming as the best project for the Lakiche Orphans, Youth and Widows Zero Grazing project.

As God was fortunately on our side, the project was funded by NUSAF through Nebbi district local government with a grant of sh12m,” he explains. Odongo says he used the money to erect a perimeter fence around the farm, for constructing a milking pen and also purchased four fresian calves and one bull.

“The animals have so far multiplied where by some of the bulls are sold to other farmers in the district and others slaughtered for beef,” Odongo adds.

Odongo also gets more income by selling milk to some institutions like Centenary and Stanbic Banks and other markets in Nebbi town.

“The money realised from sales is used to pay school fees for the over 40 children and feeding family members,” he says.

Challenges

Odongo says he needs to reinforce the perimeter wall since the number of animals is increasing and blocks stray animals from the neigbhourhood to access the pasture on the farm.

“Lack of a perimeter wall to keep out stray animals and people who trespass to graze their animals, lack of artificial insemination services and negative attitude are some of our challenges,” he says.

Future aspirations
Odongo says he now aims at obtaining pure breed of exotic Fresian cows that can
produce between 30 to 40 litres of milk per animal per day.

“If this is achieved, I will strive to purchase a milk coolant of 600 litres so that we can start producing yoghurt and add value to the various products for bigger markets,”

Odongo explains. He adds that all these plans need constant supply of electricity by purchasing solar panels to provide power for the milk project due to the uncertain power supply from West Nile Rural Electrification Company.

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