AMURU-Farmers under Kilak Farmers’ Cooperative Society have agreed in principle with the Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries [MAAIF] to implement the National Seed Oil Project in Amuru district.
In 2019, the Ugandan government acquired US$160 million [about Shs 608 billion]from the International Fund for Agricultural Development [IFAD], OPEC Fund, and Heifer International to implement the seed oil project.
The project which runs up to 2028 seeks to support 120, 000 smallholder oil seed producers in 53 districts.
Anthony Akol, the Chairperson of the Cooperative told this reporter that following a meeting held in Kampala last week, they agreed that the 22,000 members of the cooperative society would participate in implementing the project.
Already Kilak Farmers Cooperative Society has signed a pact with Trafford, to supply the company with soybean. Under the deal, the farmers signed a contract farming deal.
Akol says that in their agreement with the Ministry of Agriculture, the members of the cooperative will be majorly dealing in soybean, sesame, sunflower and groundnuts.
According to Akol, under the deal, the members of the cooperative will use the already constructed government produce stores in the community to store their produce. He adds that the government will also carry on with the marketing aspect of the product.
“The government will be able to play the marketing aspect of the seed oil products because we believe as a cooperative, partnering with the government will give us a higher chance in bargaining to get better buyers,” Akol said.
Stephen Opira, a member of Kilak Farmers Cooperative Society, told our reporter that the biggest challenge many of the seed farmers face is a lack of access to a better market.
Opira says middlemen take advantage of the low quality of their produce given the limited knowledge in post-harvest management, which limits the market and prices of their products.
Michael Lakony, the LCV Chairperson Amuru district said the agreement would help improve access to high-quality seeds, market, and boost household finances.
According to Lakony, several farmers have continued to languish in poverty even after good harvests due to poor post-harvest management and exploitation by middlemen due to limited access to a competitive market.
Several of our efforts to get a comment from Charlotte Kyemigisha, the public relations Manager at the Ministry of Agriculture were futile, as she could not pick our phone calls.
https://thecooperator.news/govt-offers-seeds-to-cooperatives-in-lango-and-acholi-regions/
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