MASINDI-The installation of processing machines which were given to different cooperatives in Masindi district under the Agriculture Cluster Development Projects [ ACDP ] is complete, according to Cosmas Byaruhanga the chairperson LCV Masindi district.
Byaruhanga disclosed the latest development of planting machines while giving the state of the district address on Tuesday during the council meeting.
In the financial year 2020/ 2021, government supported five cooperatives with more than Shs 900 million.
The money was to be used for the construction of shelters for the post-harvest machines and the purchase of the machinery for farmer organisations.
According to Job Byaruhanga, the Masindi district agriculture officer, the five cooperatives beneficiary cooperatives include; Masindi District Farmers’ Association, Bwijanga Coffee Farmers’ Cooperative, Gukwatamanzi Farmers’ Cooperative, Pakanyi Grain Area Cooperative Enterprise, and Bujenje Maize Farmers and Cooperative Society.
Byaruhanga added that the cooperatives got a grant of Shs1.4 billion Shs 949 million from the government and Shs 467 million contribution from the beneficiary farmer organisations.
He said that a total of Shs 485mln government subsidy had already been disbursed for the construction of the shelters for the post-harvest machinery.
According to Byaruhanga, Bujenje Maize Cooperative Society got a total of Shs 147mln, Bwijanga Coffee Cooperative Shs 229mln, Gukwatamanzi Cooperative Society Shs 206mln, Masindi District Farmers’ Association Shs 166mlnn and Pakanyi Grain Dealers and Produce Area Cooperative Enterprise Shs 200mln.
“This was a matching grant whereby farmers were also tasked to contribute such that they could benefit. The farmers contributed materials, buying land among other items,” he explained.
Cosmas Byaruhanga said: “Under the ACDP project, completion of the installation of value addition facilities works are complete and awaiting commissioning.”
He further noted that the district council had appropriated Shs 8.8bln in the financial year 2020/21 for the construction of 161 kms under ACDP but the funds were not realised and the construction was not done.
“The same provision was appropriated by the district council in the financial year 2021/22, the recent communication indicates that approval of only Shs 1bln and we expect to work on a number of roads,” he said.
He further explained that to ease the mobility of the extension workers to access farmers, in the financial year that ended on June 30, 2022, the district council appropriated shs18.6 million for the procurement of three modest motorcycles.
“All were procured and handed over to some extension workers,” Byaruhanga said.
https://thecooperator.news/masindi-cooperative-installs-shs-380mln-weighbridge-for-farmers/
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