LIRA, September 24, 2024 – Fleddie Okwe Badyang, the LCIII Chairperson of Amac Town Council in Lira district, is urging local farmers, especially the youth, to shift their mindset and embrace dairy farming as a key strategy for reducing unemployment and poverty.
As this reporter visited his farm, Okwe emphasised the importance of this mindset change, stating, “Farming is the way forward right now.” He has observed firsthand the success of dairy farming in the community, noting, “I have visited many farms and seen how well dairy farming is doing; people are becoming wealthy from milk sales.”
Okwe expressed concern that local youth are not taking agriculture seriously. “Many young people are wasting their time in trading centers, loitering and playing pool as early as 7 a.m. I urge them to consider farming as a viable and serious career,” he said.
Having started his own cattle farming journey in 2022 after a serious accident left him disabled, Okwe began with four local breed cows and has since expanded to 36. He also raises 50 goats and 20 sheep, while practicing horticulture on his 32-acre farm, where he grows eggplants and tomatoes.
“Look at other regions where people in their 30s have become wealthy through agriculture. Here, many still believe farming is just for food security or for those who didn’t pursue education. But agriculture is for everyone, and it can be highly profitable,” he said.
Okwe believes livestock farming is particularly promising and plans to diversify his operations by converting milk into yogurt to increase his income. “I have customers who buy my milk to make yogurt. However, the process requires electricity and a deep freezer, which presents challenges I’m still working to overcome,” he shared.
Okwe’s message is clear: embracing dairy farming could transform the economic landscape for the youth in Amac Town Council.
https://thecooperator.news/earning-more-from-dairy-farming-gulu-farmers-trained-to-make-yogurt/
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