Acholi farmers urged to join cooperatives

GULU-As initiatives to strengthen the cooperative movement in Uganda take centre stage, Farmers in Acholi Sub-region have been urged to join or form cooperative societies if they are to benefit more from their different farming activities.

Currently, most of the farmers in Acholi Sub-region farm on individual basis which makes it difficult for them to have one voice when dealing with the buyers of their produce.

By joining cooperative societies and engaging in contract farming with potential buyers, Anthony Akol, the Chairperson of Kilak Farmers Cooperative Society says farmers will not be duped into selling their goods at very low prices, mostly to middlemen.

Akol, also the Kilak North Member of Parliament said that by being cooperative societies, farmers are also able to specialise in crop production based on the soil fertility support to crops.

According to Akol, several organisations have been rallying farmers to plant particular crops promising good buying prices but end up disappearing at the time of harvest.

“The biggest challenge we have noted is that people are not specialising in growing particular crops, which brings market challenges on the side of the farmers. Through cooperative societies, farmers enter into farming contracts with companies who buy at better rates, with high quality maintained,” Akol said.

Already over 1,000 stores have been constructed by the government to help farmers in Northern Uganda store their goods as they look for market.

Simon Komakech, the Amuru district agricultural officer said for the case of Kilak Farmers’ Cooperative Society, the farmers signed a contract with the buyer to produce soybean at 10 percent higher than the market price.

This, Komakech, said plans are underway to begin rallying more farmers into forming cooperative societies and contract farming.

“We want to continue rallying farmers to join cooperative societies, which actually eases accessibility for government programs, and as well market with better financial impacts,” Komakech said.

Several farmers have fallen into traps of middlemen who disguise as companies to rally farmers in planting particular crops, promising good buying prices, and end up disappearing.

Several farmers in Gulu, Agago and Lamwo districts were in recent past left with several tons of chia seeds after the companies which promised to provide market vanished in thin air.

Among other crops, Acholi Sub-region grows rice, beans, sorghum, maize, sunflower, ground nuts, macadamia, and soya beans.

https://thecooperator.news/minister-kwiyucwiny-urges-cooperatives-to-stabilise-market-prices/

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