MOROTO, March 18, 2025 – Locals in Karamoja region are making strides after benefiting from the Parish Development Model [PDM], a government initiative aimed at combating poverty in Uganda.
The PDM, a government initiative launched in February 2022, seeks to transform subsistence households into participants in the money economy, aiming to lift 17.5 million people out of poverty by focusing on wealth creation and employment generation at the parish level.
In Jumbe Cell, Amudat Town Council, Amudat District, 25-year-old Amos Rembus Koliang received Shs 1 million under the PDM. He invested the funds in goat and sheep rearing, purchasing four sheep and two goats for 900,000. The remaining balance was used to buy medicine for the animals.
“I currently have 11 animals in total and I am planning to buy more with the additional Shs 5 million I received from the President [Museveni],” Koliang explained.
Before venturing into animal husbandry, Koliang was involved in beehive farming, where he earned approximately Shs 100,000 each time he harvested honey. He says the income from this helped him pay his brother’s school fees.
Koliang mentioned that President Museveni visited his farm in October 2023 and was impressed by his progress. With the Shs 5mln received from Museveni, he plans to buy more goats from Bukedea district, as he believes the breeds there tend to produce twins.
“I encourage fellow youths to engage in business or farming as it requires minimal capital,” Koliang added.
Meanwhile, Emmanuel Lokong Osike, a resident of Kakomokwe Village, Oregai Subcounty in Nakapiripirit district, has expressed his gratitude for the government’s introduction of the PDM.
After receiving Shs 1mln, Lokong invested in green gram farming, which yielded 14 bags of produce. He sold 1,000 kilogrammes at Shs 1,700 per kilogram, earning a total of Shs 1.7mln.
“I hired four acres of land for 70,000 shillings, where I planted the green gram,” Lokong said.
In October 2023, Lokong decided to invest further by purchasing two male and three female pigs for 400,000 shillings. He also bought land for Shs 700,000 and spent Shs 600,000 on iron sheets for constructing pigsties.
Currently, Lokong owns 34 pigs and 16 piglets, and he hopes that some of his relatives will follow his example and adopt piggery, which he believes is more lucrative than cattle keeping.
However, Lokong faces challenges with feed, market access, and a lack of farming skills, although he is gradually overcoming these obstacles.
“I am to have 150 pigs before selling any, as this will allow me to earn enough to build a permanent house and support my children’s school fees,” Lokong said.
In addition to his ambitions for pig farming, Lokong is keen to learn how to manufacture his own animal feed to reduce costs and save more money.
https://thecooperator.news/alebtong-district-receives-an-additional-shs-3-4bln-for-pdm/
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