NTOROKO, September 7, 2023 – Government under the Local Economic Growth Support [LEGS] Project has constructed maize, coffee, and rice agro-processing facilities in Ntoroko district to improve on value addition.
According to the Minister of Local Government, Raphael Magyezi, the establishment of the agro-processing facilities will increase household incomes for the farmers through value addition.
“It has been a very big challenge to farmers because they have been selling raw coffee at a very cheap price but now that government has offered them an agro-processing factory, they will be able to dry, mill, and process their produce,” Magyezi said.
Magyezi was speaking days ago during a monitoring visit of LEGS activities in Rwenzori Sub-region.
Magyezi however challenged farmers to double their efforts now that the government has empowered them with facilities for value addition.
The minister said government is doing what it takes to ensure that farmers fetch better prices from their produce through value addition.
“As government, our focus is to make sure that instead of exporting our farm produce in raw form, let farmers be empowered to sell already processed products,” he said.
According to Magyezi, under the same project the district is also constructing the Rwebisengo livestock market, Nyakatoke water gravity flow scheme and a seven kilometre Rwebisengo-Kiranga road.
The LEGS project coordinator Eng. Paul Kasule said their target is to make local governments across the country to become engines of economic growth.
“We want the district to change from just being administrative units to engines of economic growth and that is why we are supporting them to propel production in their localities,” Kasule said.
The Ntoroko district chairperson LCV, William Kasoro commended government for the projects emphasising the water stress faced by the area, especially during the dry season.
Kasoro was optimistic that the projects will help farmers improve on their household income and the district’s local revenue will also increase.
Meanwhile, in Kabarole district, projects under the same arrangement include construction of the 7.4kilometer Harugongo-Kakundwa-Busoro Road, Kihondo vendors market, Mugusu water gravity flow scheme, and the distribution of coffee and tea seedlings.
Eng. Kasule, said the total budget for LEGS project is US$ 43 million comes from the Lives and Livelihoods Fund and the Islamic Development Bank. US$ 30mln is being invested across 10 districts in Uganda, with each district receiving Shs10 billion for investment.
LEGS project is an integrated rural development initiative supported by the Islamic Development Bank and Government of Uganda under the Ministry of Local Government.
The project was launched in May 2019 to improve livelihoods for farmers in the selected districts and is designed to give effect to the decentralisation policy, particularly the 6th objective on LED.
https://thecooperator.news/agro-processing-facilities-lie-idle-in-kapelebyong-district/
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