Hundreds of farmers in Pader District are yet to enroll in a climate-smart agriculture programme despite government efforts to improve production and household incomes through the initiative.
The obervation came up on Thursday at an orientation meeting for district councillors on the Uganda Climate Smart Agricultural Transformation Project (UCSATP), a six-year programme being implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries with funding from the World Bank and the Government of Uganda.
Opoka said the project is being implemented through four value chains of crops, livestock, fisheries and beneficial insects. Under the crop component, maize and soybean production is being promoted in Ogom, Tenam, Atanga, Ajan, Acholibur, Porogali, Latanya, Pajule and Bongtiko sub-counties.
Livestock interventions are being implemented in Puranga, Pader, Laguti, Pukor and Lunyiri, while fisheries and beneficial insect activities are being introduced in selected areas across the district.
According to the Production Department, farmers access support through groups registered under an electronic wallet system. Members contribute 20 percent of the enterprise cost while government and development partners meet the remaining cost.
The programme supports enterprises such as maize and soybean growing, beekeeping, livestock improvement, fisheries and production of insects used in animal feed. Beneficiaries receive inputs supplied through vendors approved by the ministry.
Opoka said many farmers still lack information about the programme, making mobilisation difficult. He appealed to political leaders to help spread information within their communities so that more farmers can benefit.
Tenam Sub-county councillor Phillip Adonga questioned why many residents remain unaware of the programme despite activities having started several years ago. “The programme has been around for some time, but many farmers still do not know about it,” Adonga observed.
He accused some technical officers of leaving political leaders out of mobilisation activities, saying councillors are often the first point of contact for community members seeking information about government programmes.
Adonga said involving local leaders more closely would help improve awareness and increase participation among farmers.
The District Executive Committee described the project as an opportunity for households to improve production, increase incomes and strengthen food security. The committee encouraged leaders to support mobilisation efforts and urged farmers to prepare their co-financing contributions in time.
Pader District Chairperson Alfred Akena said agriculture remains the main source of livelihood for most families and called on leaders to pay closer attention to the implementation of government programmes.
He also warned technical officers against complacency, saying public servants are expected to deliver results. Akena noted that officers who consistently fail to perform their duties risk disciplinary action, including removal from service.
The UCSATP is being implemented in 69 districts across the country. It is expected to directly benefit about 760,000 households through investments in climate-smart agriculture, value chain development and improvement of farm access infrastructure-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
