Cassava shortage hits farmers’ cooperatives in Nebbi district
NEBBI-Five-based rural cassava agro–factories that were established in Nebbi district under the Agriculture Cluster Development program [ACDP] have scaled down their operations due to the scarcity of cassava in the district.
The Shs 1.2 billion rural-based agro-factories were set up with the help of the Agriculture ministry for cassava value addition and aimed at creating economic opportunities and improving livelihoods in the district but the operations of the factories are being frustrated by cassava shortages.
Due to the shortage of cassava that hit the district, two factories run under PAMSIP and Yesu Dit cooperative societies in Parombo Subcounty have temporarily suspended their operations since the supplies are not sustainable for the factories.
According to ACDP Focal Point Person Nebbi district, Joyce Piwa, shortages of cassava were caused due to prolonged dry spells, which affected the planting season right from March to July this year.
She adds that the factories are not only faced with challenges of cassava supplies but also being operated in rural areas, these factories are faced with challenges of water, electricity, and roads to connect to farmers.
“Since the factories were launched in the district, they have not enjoyed profits because the production cost for running the factories are so high, compared to the projected profit due to inaccessibility of power supply, water and roads to connect to their remote locations,” Piwa said.
However, the district chairperson, Robert Urombi has appealed to cooperative management to outsource the recommended cassava varieties to meet factory’s demand for constant production.
“I, therefore, encourage other farmers from other parts of the districts to scale up cassava production to supply the factories because basing on Nebbi alone will not sustain the factories since the demand for cassava from DR-Congo is high,” Urombi said.
Meanwhile the factory manager PAMSIP Cooperative society in Parombo Subcounty, Louis Onencan says, the cooperative has planted more than 5o acres of Nassa 19 as a learning point to avoid repeated shortages, which affect the production.
He adds the demand for cassava flour is so high, more so, from DR-Congo which needed constant supplies but was hindered by limited raw materials, power, and water for running the factory.
He says currently, a kilogramme of cassava flour goes for Shs 2,000, which he says should have been an added advantage to boot the factory, but they are hit by cassava shortages making the factory suspend its operation while waiting for their own cassava planted to get matured.
“Our factory is set to produce at least 3 tons of cassava flour per day and the factory is limited by cassava shortages which made us temporarily scale down our operations,” Onencan said.
One of the farmers, Tabu Okwong says, due to theft of sweet cassava from the plantations, farmers have resorted to planting the bitter varieties of cassava to avoid losses which is why cassava factories are not being supplied.
“Farmers were sensitised to plant the sweet varieties of cassava to feed various cassava factories but, we have challenges of theft which have frustrated most farmers,” Okwong said.
Okwong urged the government to channel more Parish Development Model [PDM] money to cooperative societies that are committed to boosting farming enterprises in order to support the factories with raw materials that will aid employment.
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