MPs urge gov’t to give farmers electricity for value addition

HOIMA -The Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture has expressed concern about the value addition processing facilities, which were constructed by the government, but are not connected to the electricity grid, making it hard for farmers to process their produce into finished products.

The lawmakers led by Janet Okorimoi, the Chairperson of the committee were in Bunyoro region last week to assess the different projects enabled through the Matching Grant Facility under the Agriculture Cluster Development Project [ACDP].

The MPS who visited two processing facilities owned by Kwataniza Women Famers Group in Buseruka sub-county and Kikinda Farmers Association in Bulindi town council in Hoima district, respectively, explained that government invested a lot of money in such facilities but are not being utilised due to lack of electricity.

MP Okorimoi said that in different areas where the legislators visited since last month, they found out that the government constructed processing house facilities and equipped them with milling machines but they are not operational due to lack of power.

She said there is a need for the government to have a special arrangement to see that these facilities get connected to the electricity grid to ensure that they serve their intended purposes.

She added lack of farm tractors is also failing farmers who now use hoes to produce little that cannot satisfy the capacity of facilities.

Okorimoi promised that the committee would produce a comprehensive report and present it before parliament for debate.

She also challenged farmers in the Bunyoro region to embrace the formation and joining of cooperative societies as one way of promoting commercial farming, fighting against poverty, and improving household incomes.

Bugahya County MP, Pius Wakabi commended the government for supporting the farmers with value addition facilities.

However, he wants the government to increase funding such that more processing facilities are established to ensure increased value addition in the region.

Frank Kiiza, the chairman of Kikinda farmers association said that his group with over 200 members was supported with Shs 150 million which they have used to construct processing house facilities and equipped them with maize milling machines.

He added that though they completed the construction of the facility, they are yet to use it due to a lack of electricity. He noted connecting electricity to their facility requires them to pay Shs 67mln but the members are facing financial challenges.

“Alternatively, we are considering hiring a generator,” he said, appealing to the government to provide electricity to the facility.

https://thecooperator.news/mixed-reactions-as-mps-assess-masindi-acdp-activities/

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