Help us to write proposals, Acholi co-operators cry out

PADER-Co-operators of Acholi –bur and Gem Onyot Cooperative society in Pader district want to be helped in writing proposals to enable them to secure financial support for their activities.

They argue that in the ongoing harvesting season they have nothing on their accounts to buy produce from the farmers.

Usually, the cooperatives buy produce like cotton, soybean, millet, sim-sim, sorghum, cotton, and maize from the out-growers and then sell to produce companies so that they get some commission to sustain their activities.

The cooperatives are now calling for people and agencies that can help them write proposals for donor funding so that they can revive their business.

“We are not good at writing attractive proposals that is why we are crying out to whoever can give a helping hand,’’ Agnes  Lawoko, a member of  Acholi –bur Cooperative Society said.

Lawoko has been growing cotton for 20 years, but this year she has not been able to reap what she expected after some of the seeds she planted failed to germinate.

Jerom Opio, a member at Gem- Onyot Cooperative Society said in the past they used to get financial support from the mother East Acholi Cooperative Union. However, she said the union is struggling at the moment.

“The small cash we used to get from the sales made, we would facilitate our community meetings with the members, but at the moment the activities are too slow, something that is now making us lose hope,’’ he says.

“We are now calling for technical support so that we can have winning proposals that can help us funds activities in our respective cooperatives.”

Lazrus Ocii Alex, a farmer who also doubles as the chairperson Acholi- bur Cooperative Society, said most farmers do not have the money to buy seeds.

“White sorghum and soybean are on demand in the region right now but farmers don’t have money to venture into such crops,” she said.

Her cooperative has only 300, members with the elderly taking the bigger percentage.

“Our annual subscription is only 10,000, for each member, it cannot help us much to do business,’’ he said.

Alfred Obaloker, the district commercial officer urged the cooperators to be dynamic and tap into government programmes such as Operation Wealth Creation and the Parish Development Model to boost their enterprises.

https://thecooperator.news/agago-coops-to-benefit-from-white-sorghum-pilot-project/

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