BULISA– TotalEnergies a French company drilling oil in the Albertine Grabben is set to support over 200 farmers with a cassava processing facility to help them add value to their produce.
This was revealed on Thursday by Chris Ocowunu, the public relations officer TotalEnergies while speaking to journalists who were in Bulisa district to track the progress of the Tilenga Project.
Ocowunu said that the over 200 farmers are part of the 622 people who were affected by the establishment of the central processing facility that will separate crude oil from the impurities before being sent to the refinery.
The 786 acres of land were acquired for the project in 2018, sending away the local people, also known as Project Affected Persons [PAPs], who then would be given land elsewhere to farm.
Ocuwunu further noted that the 230 farmers decided to go for cassava growing, 137 vegetable growing while others went formed village saving groups and apiary.
“We supported the PAPs under the livelihood restoration program and they were given cassava cuttings and doing farming for both home consumption and commercial purposes. This was done after we compensated and also relocated them,” he said.
He added that they want them to get organized in a cooperative to be able to benefit.
“The machine would have been brought in the last quarter. But we had challenges with the contractor but we are soon going to deliver it,” said Ocowunu.
The people who are set to benefit are spread in the villages of Kasenyi, Kisomere, klKirama, and Udukutu.
He also explained TotalEnergies will link the farmers to different markets.
What the beneficiaries say
Patrick Ssenoga, from Kasenyi village who was relocated to a different area to farm, says: “I was supported with cassava cuttings by TotalEnergies and I now have eight acres of cassava plantation. What we need now is the machine to add value to our cassava such that we can benefit. We are happy that TotalEnergies is going to support us get one. We have started the process of forming the cooperative.”
Milton Onenchan, who has 20 acres of cassava explains that the machine is long overdue, noting that they have enough cassava to sustain the machine since most of them have at least two acres and above.
“We have a lot of cassava and it’s ready. We are optimistic that when we add value we shall be able to get much from it,” Onenchan said, adding that they have a small market for the raw cassava.
About the project
The industrial area was subdivided into different platforms including the construction camp which is going to accommodate over 4000 people, the drilling support base, the construction support base, and the Central processing facility (CPF).
According to Charles Wawire the project engineer, the construction is moving on smoothly.
Under the same project 204 houses for the PAPs have also been constructed in Bulisa and Hoima.
Ocowunu said that they are waiting for the occupation permits from the district in order to officially hand over the houses to the beneficiaries.
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