Mixed reactions as MPs  assess Masindi ACDP activities

MASINDI– MPs on the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture headed by Abim district Woman MP Janet Okorimoi visited two cooperatives this week to assess the activities being implemented by selected cooperatives under the Agriculture Cluster Development Project [ ACDP ] in Masindi district.

The legislators days ago toured Bwijanga Coffee Cooperative Society Limited in Bwijanga Subcounty, Bujenje County, and Pakanyi Maize Area Cooperative Enterprise in Pakanyi Sub-county, Buruli County.

The MPs were however not impressed by the construction works at Bwijanga Coffee Cooperative Society Limited, saying that there is no value for money at all.

“Under these projects, you were supposed to get a storage facility, moisture metre, drying facility, house for gateman, fence the facility, but we are not seeing some of them. The facility is too small. I am not seeing value for money here. We may be tempted to say that the members misused the money and compel you to refund it,” said Okoro County MP Gabriel Okumu.

The MPs tasked the district Engineer Ramek Atugonza to provide documentary evidence on how the money was allocated to different components of the project but he never had some of the documents. The MPs asked  Atugonza to submit the missing documents to the committee before a comprehensive report is made to parliament.

However, the committee members were impressed by the construction works at Pakanyi Maize Area Cooperative Enterprise where they commended the structure that was built but also established that other components budgeted for were available.

The members of Pakanyi Maize Cooperative Area Cooperative Enterprise asked government to support them with a tractor, saying it would help them do farming on a large scale.

“We need to be supported with machines like a tractor because we have the capacity to cultivate on a large scale if we are helped,” said Joseph Bogere, the cooperative’s chairperson.

The two cooperatives visited by the MPs pleaded with government to connect them to the national electricity grid so that they add value to the agricultural produce, saying this would make them earn more money than selling unprocessed farm produce.

MP Okorimoi said they decided to visit different ACDP projects in different districts after the issues of shoddy works, delayed disbursement of funds, embezzlement, and lack of value for money, were raised by concerned people.

“We are going to make a comprehensive report to parliament after this tour such that the challenges being faced are addressed,” she said.

She advised that it would be better for the Ministry of Agriculture to liaise with the Ministry of Energy, and that of Water and Environment to have the two cooperatives connected to electricity and water systems so that the farmers are able to add value to their produce.

Masindi district LCV Chairperson, Cosmas Byaruhanga commended government for providing value addition equipment and facilities to different cooperatives in his district.

“Masindi is known for maize growing but we have been selling maize grains because we had no facilities to add value. We have organised our farmers in different cooperatives and they are ready to benefit,” said Byaruhanga.

About ACDP projects in Masindi

In the financial year 2020/ 2021, government supported five cooperatives with more than Shs 900 million under ACDP.

The money was to be used for the construction of shelters for the post-harvest machinery and the purchase of the machinery for farmer organisations.

According to Job Byaruhanga, the Masindi district agriculture officer, the five cooperatives benefiting from ACDP include; Masindi District Farmers’ Association, Bwijanga Coffee Farmers’ Cooperative, Gukwatamanzi Farmers’ Cooperative, Pakanyi Grain Area Cooperative Enterprise, and Bujenje Maize Farmers and Cooperative Society.

Byaruhanga added that the total value of grants of the five farmer organizations was Shs1.4 billion adding that this included; Shs 949 million for government and Shs 467mln contribution from the beneficiary farmer organizations.

According to Byaruhanga, Bujenje Maize Farmers and Cooperative Society got a total of Shs 147mln, Bwijanga Coffee Cooperative Shs 229mln, Gukwatamanzi Cooperative Society Shs 206mln, Masindi District Farmers’ Association Shs 166mln, and Pakanyi Grain Dealers and Produce Area Cooperative Enterprise Shs 200mln.

“This was a matching grant whereby farmers were also tasked to contribute such that they could benefit. The farmers contributed materials, buying land among other items,” Byaruhanga explained.

https://thecooperator.news/acdp-processing-machines-installed-for-masindi-cooperatives/

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