Pallisa, Uganda | Communities in Pallisa have been guided to cluster in groups to form association and register so that they can easily benefit from government programs geared towards poverty eradication.
The call was made by the Pallisa district deputy RDC Hajjat Aisha Nakusi while commissioning the excavation of five fish ponds for Chelekura farmers’ cooperative association over the weekend.
Nakusi said the government of Uganda under the leadership of president Museveni is struggling to ensure people gain middle income status.
“I am happy to launch the excavation of these five ponds in which government invested 57 million and you the beneficiaries made a humble contribution of 14 million that is 20% giving the project 71 million. When people begin accepting the ideas of President Museveni it makes sense which will eventually turn into prosperity that is why you should not joke with our slogan of protecting the gains and no sleeping as he emphasised during his inauguration”, Nakusi said.
She cautioned the contractor to ensure value for money and dig the ponds according to the prescribed measurements or else risk to miss payment.
Yoweri wooli the Jokap investment company representative at the launch assured the stakeholders of quality work saying they are doing it in good faith to make a name so as to market their company in the region.
“In a number of districts that we have worked good service has been rendered that is the reason the procurement committee approved us, so nobody should doubt us “, Wooli said.
Dr. John Michael, Okwalinga the Pallisa district production officer said the launch marked the distribution of inputs under the Uganda Climate Smart Agricultural Transformation Project.
As the project’s focal person, Dr Okwalinga Michael, let me inform you that this particular investment is worth UGX 71 million; with Government contributing UGX 57 million (80%) while farmers co-funded UGX 14 million (20%).
The project aims at improving farmers’ livelihoods through increased production and productivity and supports livestock, crops, fisheries and beneficial insects such bee keeping value chains.
“ I encourage a number of farmers associations to be formed because it will not be good for the money earmarked to support income generating projects to get back to the centre at the close of the financial year” Okwalinga said.
Okwalinga said Chelekura farmers’ cooperative association is going to get 35,000 fingerlings and 7 tonnes of feeds for the project and the beneficiaries will make their first harvest of fish in six to nine months’ time.
Zadok Adakun the senior assistant chief administrative officer of Chelekura Sub County thanked the district leadership for considering Chelekura for launch, noting that the sub-county is surrounded by water bodies which are favourable fish farming.
John Okolong the Chelekura sub county chairperson urged the community to embrace and safeguard the project because it their own.
“I am the chairperson of security in this sub county and I will ensure the ponds for farmers who agreed to come together are safe but I urge member to generate their rota so that when the fingerlings are brought people should be knowing when they are supposed to work”,Okolong said.
Martin Oluka the chairperson of the association lauded their district councillor Robert Oonyu for giving them the information that enabled them to mobilize people.
Oluka said initially they were 128 members but when the component of contributing was brought after a series of sensitization meetings by the extension workers people withdrew saying it was a way of cheating them but 15 of them persisted and got registered.
“The fifteen of us agreed to contribute shs. 960,000 each which enabled us to fulfil all the requirements such account opening and registration and dig our two ponds ordinarily. I am happy that the contractor has been procured by the ministry of agriculture, animal industry and fisheries”, Oluka said.
While District Councillor Oonyu Robert commended who was government for tipping the community of the project lauded government for having numerous program for alternative livelihoods to the community.
“This project is going to make people abandon rice growing because if they see these fifteen members in nine months getting shs.180, 000,000 they will emulate. The problem that makes people stuck in rice growing that is devastating the ecosystem is having no beneficial alternative ways of getting money. My only problem is this projects bill of quantities did not cater for the fence which I urge the production office provide”, Oonyu said.
Major Esogu Philip the wealth creation coordinator for Pallisa encouraged farmers to fully own the project.
“The idea of government making you people to contribute 20% is to make you own your project. It is on record that some people who got animals that government call extension workers saying come and see your animals they seem sick. This is a sign of lack of ownership yet you are the beneficiary”, Esogu said.
Florence Akurut said she accepted to sell her goats to raise membership given the way they packaged information that saw her getting over 3 million when they harvest their fish.
“I only request our association leaders to be transparent some of us who are illiterate because most project collapse when leaders side-line other members”, Akurut said.