Gulu Archdiocese struggles as criminal gangs raid model cassava farm

GULU– Gulu Archdiocese is struggling to promote cassava commercialisation and value addition in Acholi Sub-region after criminal gangs recently raided its demonstration farm, uprooting the cassava tubers, leaving the farm empty.

The Archdiocese established the model farm in 2018 to boost cassava production and commercialisation in Northern Uganda, targeting poor families in the fight against household poverty.

The cassava project is being piloted at Acholi Bur in Pader district in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture and involves a cooperative society established by the church to boost commercialisation of the crop.

The agricultural cooperative society had attracted 10,000 farmers across the region, according to Fr. Mathew Lagoro Okun who has also embarked on large-scale farming. He said targeted farmers were already seeing an improvement in their household incomes.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, government under the National Agricultural Advisory Services [NAADS] has so far spent about Shs 8 billion on the project.

At least Shs 2bln was spent in the first year of production in 2018, Shs 3bln in 2019, another Shs 3bln in 2020, and more Shs 3bln was allocated in 2021.

However, officials say criminal gangs neighboring the cassava project in Negri village in Gulu West Division have looted about 10 hectares of cassava, leaving the model farm almost destroyed.

According to Archbishop John Baptist Odama, who has continued to appeal to the masses to embrace commercial agriculture, the cassava commercialisation pilot project was aimed at fighting household poverty in the region.

For instance, the Church has partnered with Bukona Agro-Processing Industry established in Nwoya district for value addition and production of green fuel and other chemical manufacturing from cassava products.

However, the destruction of the demonstration farm has raised concerns from both the local leaders and security agencies in the region, wondering why the gangs have targeted the facility meant to help the community get out of poverty.

The Bardege-Layibi division mayor, Patrick Oola Lumumba has appealed for heavy deployment of the army in the area, saying it has become a breeding ground for the criminal gangs in the city.

The Fourth Division Commander, Brig. Bonny Bamwiseki has pledged to send soldiers to the area to protect the church and its properties.

He also urged the local leaders in the area to liaise with the security agencies to crack down on the rising number of criminal gangs in the region.

https://thecooperator.news/naro-launches-sh400m-cassava-project-in-lango-districts/

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