NWOYA, June 29, 2026 — Northern Uganda Tractor Owners, Operators, Mechanics and Farmers Association Savings and Credit Cooperative Society Limited [NUTOFA SACCO] has taken a major step towards advancing mechanised agriculture in Nwoya District after acquiring three tractors worth Shs 888.5 million.
The tractors were procured under the Local Economic Growth Support [LEGS] Project, which is being supported by government through the Microfinance Support Centre Limited [MSC] with a 40 percent subsidy.
Working with the Ministry of Local Government which is the implementer of the project, MSC provides affordable micro-credit and grants to community groups, and cooperatives, particularly those engaged in agricultural production, value addition and marketing.
The tractors were officially handed over to NUTOFA SACCO by MSC during a ceremony held on Thursday in Anaka Town Council, Nwoya district.
Patrick Opio, an official from MSC, expressed confidence that the investment would transform the SACCO’s operations.
“I have no doubt that these machines will move NUTOFA SACCO to the next level. I only ask that you increase the acreage of land under cultivation to ensure that the tractors and accompanying implements are fully utilised,” Opio said.
Robert Okok Acac, Chairperson of NUTOFA SACCO, said the tractors had arrived at a crucial time ahead of the second planting season.
“We have already received aggregated demand for 246 acres to be ploughed from just one farmer group, Atek ki Lwak. We are still registering requests from other groups,” Okok said.
He explained that the equipment was selected following consultations with farmers to address existing gaps in agricultural production.
“We carefully selected this equipment after assessing the needs of farmers. We identified challenges affecting smallholder farmers in Nwoya District and wanted to bridge those gaps so that agriculture in the district becomes fully mechanised,” he added.
According to Okok, the tractors are equipped with several implements, including discs capable of ploughing approximately 60, 30 and 20 acres per day, depending on conditions and operational requirements.
The equipment package also includes fertiliser spreaders, boom sprayers for weed and pest control, and multi-crop threshers suitable for maize, rice, soybeans, groundnuts, sorghum and millet.
Okok noted that the threshing equipment would help farmers preserve the quality of their produce after harvest.
“We will plough one acre for members at Shs80,000, while non-members will pay the market rate of between Shs100,000 and Shs120,000. We are encouraging farmers to join the SACCO either as individuals or groups,” he said.
The tractors are expected to be a game changer for smallholder farmers in Nwoya District, many of whom still rely on hand hoes for cultivation.
Although the district has about 200 tractors, access remains limited for smallholder farmers as many operators prioritise large-scale farmers with more than 50 acres.
Lilly Acaa, Chairperson of Atek ki Lwak Farmers’ Group and a member of NUTOFA SACCO, welcomed the development.
“It takes about 20 days to till an acre of land and by the time you finish, the area you started with has already become bushy again. Accessing tractors has been difficult because most owners prefer serving large-scale farmers instead of people like us cultivating between two and five acres. We are relieved that the SACCO has acquired tractors that we can now access easily and at a fair price,” Acaa said.
The farmers’ group, based in Purongo Town Council, has 85 members who mainly grow groundnuts, maize, soybeans and vegetables.
Nwoya Resident District Commissioner Christopher Omara said the tractors would support farmers to transition from subsistence farming into a cash economy, in line with the government’s wealth creation agenda.
Meanwhile, Nwoya District LCV Chairperson Patrick Okello Oryema urged NUTOFA SACCO to strengthen financial literacy among farmers, arguing that poor financial management remains a major obstacle to economic progress.
“We need to teach our communities financial discipline. You may find a farmer harvesting 50 bags of rice, which should transform their livelihood, but many fail to invest the proceeds productively,” Oryema said.
In response, Okok said financial literacy training is already one of the key services offered by the SACCO to its members.
NUTOFA SACCO, which currently works with 141 farmer groups, plans to acquire at least 10 tractors in future to support large-scale agricultural production across the district.
https://thecooperator.news/bouncers-in-northern-uganda-form-sacco-to-boost-livelihoods/
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