Six farmer groups in Nebbi District have received agricultural equipment, organic fertilisers and soybean seeds under a government-backed project aimed at improving productivity and helping smallholders cope with erratic rainfall and prolonged dry spells.
Farmers in Nebbi District have received agricultural equipment and other inputs under the Uganda Climate Smart Agricultural Transformation Project, a government initiative aimed at improving productivity and strengthening resilience to climate change.
Six farmer groups received wheelbarrows, spray pumps, organic fertilisers, soybean seeds and other supplies during a handover at the district water office on Tuesday.
The groups are Kwokutic and Lengi from Ndhew Sub-county, Watagata and Mer Ber from Otwago in Erussi Sub-county, Can Ku Mer from Acana Sub-county, and Yesu Mer Community Savings and Credit Group from Alala Sub-county.
The project, funded by the government with support from the World Bank, promotes climate-smart agricultural practices and enterprises such as coffee growing, soybean production, aquaculture and beekeeping.
Nebbi, like other parts of the West Nile sub-region, has experienced erratic rainfall and prolonged dry spells that have affected agricultural production and household incomes.
Joyce Piwa, the senior agricultural officer and project focal person in Nebbi, said the delivery would help revive farmers’ interest in the initiative and improve implementation.
“Some farmers had already given up. The coming of these materials is a huge boost to the success of the project,” Piwa said.
She explained that the project operates on a cost-sharing arrangement under which farmers contribute 20% of the cost of their orders, while the government covers the remaining 80%.
“In this project, the farmer contributes 20% while government covers 80%. What farmers get is based on the orders they made, plus some mandatory inputs added by government,” she said.
Ntori Development Initiative, the supplier, said it had delivered the materials within the agreed timeframe.
“We delivered the orders within a week. As a supplier, we know timing is everything in farming,” said Osbert Asiimwe, the supplier’s representative.
Farmers Expect Better Yields
For James Munguriek, a member of Atagataga Group in Abongo Parish, Erussi Sub-county, the supplies will help improve coffee production and prepare the group for the next planting season.
The group received a wheelbarrow, a spray pump, organic fertilisers and a tarpaulin.
“We are going to use the organic fertilizers to improve soil quality so that we can have better yields next season,” Munguriek said.
Nebbi District Chairperson George Othuba said he was satisfied with the quality of the latest supplies, contrasting them with some items delivered during the previous distribution.
“We couldn’t accept some inputs last time because they were not standard and out of date. This time, the RDC and I have verified that they are good and can be distributed,” Othuba said.
He urged the district production department to provide political leaders with accurate information about beneficiaries to improve oversight of the project.
Resident District Commissioner Robert Abak said the government was also focusing on tackling household poverty through agricultural and livelihood interventions.
“We have peace in this country, but we don’t have peace in the pocket. Many of our people in Nebbi are still very poor,” Abak said.
He cited the Parish Development Model and the Climate Smart Agricultural Transformation Project as initiatives intended to improve household incomes.
Each participating group has between 15 and 30 members, according to project officials.
The latest batch of supplies comprised 116 wheelbarrows, 140 spray pumps, 172 pairs of gumboots, 34 bags of organic fertilisers, 494 tarpaulins, 46 pruning saws, 25 face masks, 86 overalls and 1,035 kilogrammes of soybean seed.
The project aims to support 120 groups in crop production, 55 in beekeeping, 30 in beef production and eight in fish farming across Nebbi District.
Participating farmers are pursuing enterprises ranging from coffee, soybean and mango production to aquaculture, beekeeping and livestock rearing.
The interventions are intended to diversify household incomes, encourage climate-smart farming practices and help farmers manage the effects of changing weather patterns.