FORT PORTAL – The Minister of Local Government, Raphael Magezi has said the Local Economic Growth Support [ LEGS ] project is on track to improve the lives of more than one million farmers in rural areas.
Magyezi said so far more than 6,000 small-holder farmers have benefited from the LEGS project, having received 4.5mln seedlings for high-value cash crops[coffee, tea, vanilla] for the export market, 375 tons of organic fertilizers,20 kilogrammes of fruits and vegetable seeds for income and nutritional security and 1,821 tools and equipment.
The five-year project was launched in 2019 with an aim of improving living conditions in 17 districts through improving livestock production, financing the acquisition of 729 pieces of farm equipment, and financial support for farmer groups across a variety of agricultural produce among others.
“Our top agenda involves taking the nation from low to middle-income status by collaborating with key players in the private sector to stimulate transformative growth across Uganda’s rural communities,” Magyezi said.
The minister was addressing journalists over the weekend at Nyaika Hotel in Fort Portal city during the fact-finding mission on the progress of the project in the Rwenzori sub-region.
“The project has been providing the necessary inputs, skills, access to finance and enabling infrastructure for the rural communities to prosper, hence aligning to the aspirations of the country,” he said.
he noted that LEGS project works hand in hand with the Parish Development Model [PDM] that also aims at improving the lives of the poor people in rural areas.
He however not that there are delays in the project implementation, which he said there, is a need for the ministry, the funding bank, and benefiting local governments to quicken the process.
This comes as Uganda’s economic growth has averaged 6.9 percent in the last five years compared with an average of 4 percent for Sub-Sahara Africa.
The project is prioritising investments, improving rural infrastructure and water for production, food security through crop and livestock production and productivity improvement, and access to inclusive economic empowerment through participative microfinance.
The LEGS project focal person in the ministry of local government, Assumpta Tibamwenda said there are 17 districts benefiting from this project four of them are in the Rwenzori sub-region which include; Kabarole, Kyenjojo, Bunyangabu, and Ntoroko.
Other districts include Aleptong, Katakwi, Kumi, Kibuku, Gomba, Nakaseke, Buyende, Buikwe, Tororo, Adjumani, Nwoya, Rukungiri, and Luwero.
She said the overall project is worth US$ 53mln with the biggest percentage funding from the African Islamic Bank.
The Kabarole district chairperson LCV, Richard Rwabuhinga said in the same project, they have been able to get 3000tea seedlings, one million coffee seedlings among others, and tea farmers were able to get fertilizers at an affordable price.
He is optimistic that the project will improve people’s livelihoods.
https://thecooperator.news/amuru-farmers-cooperative-maaif-agree-to-implement-seed-oil-project/
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