Mechanised farming sets north on economic recovery path

Jun 18, 2012

CONFINING its energetic and hardworking youth-dominant population in internally displaced peoples’ camps for over two decades of the Lord’s Resistance Army war was such sour bile to swallow for Gulu folk. But, that was the best option at the time.

By Joel Ogwang
 
CONFINING its energetic and hardworking youth-dominant population in internally displaced peoples’ camps for over two decades of the Lord’s Resistance Army war was such sour bile to swallow for Gulu folk. But, that was the best option at the time. 
 
With relative peace now, a sea of freshness sweeps through the town. As youth purr with a worker bee’s mobility, the town is now a hub of activities. Once again, Gulu is alive!
 
The agriculture sector in particular has gained momentum, attracting many people, who are discarding peasantry for large-scale commercial farming. 
 
A total of 14 farmers groups, boasting 431 members, lead the line in re-awakening Gulu’s war-deprived potential as a food hub for not just its population, but the greater Uganda and the emerging fertile Southern Sudan market.
 
“It is a shame that we have been importing food from Kampala. This has ended. We have the ability and will to sustain ourselves through farming” notes Betty Aol, the Gulu Woman MP.
 
In line with re-awakening Gulu’s faded might, a £13m (sh49.5b) Business Uganda Development Scheme (BUDS) funded by the UK Department For International Development (DFID) is spearheading mass food production through mechanised agriculture. 
 
The five-year (2011-15) project, implemented by the Private Sector Foundation on behalf of the Prime Minister’s Office, seeks to promote the economic recovery of 55 districts of the greater north under the Peace, Recovery and Development Programme.
 
David Kisekka, the BUDS-DFID manager, says the programme promotes private-sector growth, investment, value addition, creation of employment opportunities and food security in Acholi, Lango, Teso, West-Nile, Karamoja, Bukeddi and parts of Bunyoro.
 
“We target creating gainful employment for 5,000 people by 2015 to ensure full recovery of benefitting districts,” he says.
BUDS-DFID is a cumulative grant offering up to £250,000 (sh950m) to a successful business entity in involved in agriculture, commerce, manufacturing, commercial agriculture and business associations, among others. 
 
“Any reliable business or group is liable to the grants, but we do not support individual farmers,” says Kisekka.
John Kelvin Abaho, the grants scheme officer, says 14 farmer groups were recently given 27 walking tractors and 48 oxen, estimated at sh271.6m.
 
“In the second-phase, farmers will get 50 walking tractors and 50 oxen next month. When the farmers are in full production, we will look into boosting them in post-harvest handling and storage to ensure they put quality products to market,” he says.
 
Already, a 60-tonne rice processing plant, valued at $150,000 (sh570m) and managed by Louis Enterprises, has been erected for farmers in Amuru, Gulu and Nwoya districts. 
 
Okidi Ochora, the Gulu production officer, says post-harvest handling poses a threat to the economic recovery of the north.
            

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