Experts Explain Failure of Artificial Insemination in Gulu as Dairy Farmers Count Losses

GULU – The knowledge gaps on artificial insemination is painfully affecting livestock farmers in Gulu as a number of their animals have reportedly taken years without conception.

Some of the farmers who spoke to theCooperator have described the situation as costly and burdensome to maintain the animals.

Artificial insemination is the process of introducing semen collected from a bull into the reproductive tract of a cow for the occurrence of pregnancy without physical mating.

The technology which was adopted years ago and extensively used on many species of animals in the world still faces challenges as most of the farmers have limited knowledge of the practice.

Agnes Oyella, a dairy farmer from Koro in Gulu City told theCooperator in a recent interview that her two cows have taken nearly two years without conception.

Oyella explained that she has been spending close to Shs 200,000 monthly to feed the animals and to maintain them in good health but the cows have failed to conceive.

Besides the monthly cost of feeding and maintenance, Oyella disclosed that she had attempted to inseminate the cows more than five times but has been unsuccessful.

Oyella said she has been paying Shs 90,000 to the Veterinary technicians for each of the insemination processes. She described the practice as costly and burdensome.

Just like Oyella, Betty Apiyo, another dairy farmer in the area says she had kept her two cows for a year without conception, besides three unsuccessful attempts to conduct artificial insemination.

Joska Otto, a founder member of Gulu Community Cooperative Society similarly noted that most of the members are experiencing the same problem which she says is affecting milk production.

“Dairy farming isn’t like any other farming which can be directly affected by floods but this involves technicalities which most farmers are yet to embrace,” Otto told.

theCooperator in an interview.

Alfred Opiyo, the Gulu District Veterinary Officer says, farmers need to understand the heat signs in animals and to have proper timing for successful artificial insemination.

The cow on heat is noticed by signs of loss of appetite, mooing, restlessness, and swelling of the valve which changes to red among others.

Meanwhile, the livestock farmer or a caretaker should recognize these changes within three days for successful artificial insemination without which the cow will fail to conceive.

The heat signs last for twelve hours a day and according to Opiyo, if a cow shows signs in the morning, it should undergo insemination in the evening but if it occurs in the evening, then the cow should be inseminated in the next morning when chances are high for conception.

He further explained that poor nutrition in animals is one of the factors affecting artificial insemination in the district where animals of that nature tend to go on silent heat.

The technicalities in the practice should have been majorly handled by the extension workers but Opiyo revealed that the district only has two veterinary officers to handle about 800,000 animals.

The district lacks 6 veterinary officers adding that each Sub County should have had four veterinary officers but only one is operating the entire village.

The underlined factors according to him are not only affecting animal breeding but the animal health and production, value addition, and the development of the livestock industry in the district.

“The ratio to farmers is much and yet each of the veterinary officers is to handle only 500 animals but look at the number of animals we have and this is the area the government has failed to invest in” Opiyo explained.

His counterpart, Junior Rwotomiya, a Veterinary Doctor with Countryside Harvester also revealed that the region is battling with the scarcity of semen for insemination adding that low-quality liquid nitrogen for keeping the semen alive is yet another factor affecting the services.

Nitrogen liquid is a desirable condition for keeping the semen alive which functions like testis for the manufacturing of sperm cells.

He however revealed that their Organisation has procured 1,000 straws of semen for supporting the livestock farmers in the 17 districts of Lango, Acholi, and West Nile regions.

The support according to him is part of the Shs 5.1 billion that the UK government has allocated to the region for improving animal and poultry farming for a period of five years which kicked off in June this year.

Dr. Issac Ngole, the Project Coordinator Community-Based Breeding Program under the National Animal Genetic Resources Centre and Data Bank in the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal and Fisheries revealed that the government has recently launched community animal breeding.

The National animal breeding program according to him is aimed at improving the high-quality breeds in the Country which is already being clustered under the Operation Wealth Creation [OWC].

He further revealed that the Program from the North is being piloted in both Aswa ranch in Pader district and Maruzi in Apac district which has more than 4,000 quality breeds for supply to the farmers adding that 99 percent of the cattle in the northern part of the Country are indigenous breeds.

“We have a target of 600 high-quality breeds of animals to be supplied to the farmers each year but what is coming next is the establishment of a regional nitrogen liquid laboratory in Gulu for safe storage of semen to improve the artificial insemination in the region” Ngole further disclosed.

He also noted that the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry, and Fisheries has already procured 1,000 straws of semen for supporting the farmers under the national animal breeding program in collaboration with Operation Wealth Creation.

While most of the livestock farmers are yet to appreciate animal breeding, less than 10 percent of the animals in the Country are of high quality according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries which have reportedly affected production in the industry.

The report indicates that agricultural contribution to the economy has stagnated at only 23 percent for the last five years though there has been some increase in the production of coffee which rose from 4.6 million bags from the financial year 2015/2016 to 8.1 million bags in 2020/2020 financial year.

Fish catches increased from 449,000 tons in the same year to 600,000 tons in the 2020/2021 financial year while milk production rose from 2.1 billion liters to 2.6 billion liters.

The Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning has also reported an increase in the domestic investments at 13 percent from $385.3 to $433.8 US but recommended industrialization for accelerated growth in the agricultural sector which employs 74 percent of Ugandans. End.

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ATLEAST 200 ANIMALS HAVE DIED IN LYANTONDE DISTRICT

LYANTONDE – At least 200 heads of Cattle have reportedly died in Lyantonde district following prolonged drought in the cattle corridor region.

A similar situation is reported in Sembabule, Kiruhura and Kazo districts, although the number of animals that reportedly perished was unconfirmed.

Cattle farmers and Veterinary Officers in the district have reportedly cried out unsuccessfully to the government for intervention.

Livingstone Kuvakulungi, a farmer in Lyakajura Sub County in Lyantonde recounted how he lost 20 heads of cattle in a space of three weeks.

“All my animals were dyeing while we watched, but could not help to get water and grass. At least we lost an animal every day on the farmyard,” he recounts.

Kuvakulungi calls on the Ministry of Agriculture to dig valley dams for their animals to save them from the drought.

“At least if the government can build for us valley dams for our livestock to have water because we are losing everything in life. These animals are our lives,” he remarked.

He also urges the government to provide and guide them on the right and effective drugs to use on their animals. Kuvakulungi says many animal diseases have become resistant, due to the ineffective and fake drugs on the market, resulting in the death of the animals.

This report has established that the farming communities in the cattle corridor have resorted to using local traditional herbs to treat their animals of all ailments including ticks, foot and mouth disease and others.

Moses Kusasira, an established farmer with 108 heads of cattle says, all the drugs on the market are counterfeit that kill their animals, thus resorting to local traditional herbs.

“We have lost trust in the veterinary drugs on the market, and we now use the herbs, because you know the kind of grass you pick, and you trust it hundred per cent,” he says.

Kusasira urges the government through the Ministry of Agriculture and the Uganda National Bureau of Standards to mount an operation on counterfeit drugs especially in the local veterinary drug shops.

The District Veterinary Officer for Lyantonde, Dr Ronald Bameka urges farmers to start planting grass for their livestock in preparation for such hard times like drought.

Dr Bameka says some grass is known for resisting such dry spells and can save the animals.

“Let farmers adapt and start planting grass that is resistant to long dry spells and drought, and can save their livestock in such times,” he added.

Bameka also cautioned residents against bush burning, a practice he blames for the rampant soil erosion and poor harvest in the communities.

Extremely Hot Weather Hinders Alternative Feeds Project

He pledged to use his office to cause the Ministry of Agriculture to plan for valley dams in the area, as well as availing tractors to smallholder farmers who can provide fodder to the animals after seasonal harvests.

When tasked to explain the counterfeit drugs on the market, Bameka accused traders of importing uncertified drugs by the National Medical Stores, and sell them to the farmers while others sell expired drugs.

He encouraged the farmers to always be keen while procuring drugs, by ascertaining the rightful expiry dates as indicated on the drug packs.

Livestock diseases like Foot and Mouth, Nagana, ticks, John’s disease among others have been rampant in the Cattle Corridor districts of Lyantonde, Sembabule, Kiruhuru, Kazo, Gomba and parts of Rakai and Isingiro.

This also forced government to slap an animal quarantine on the region, which has affected the incomes and lives of many livestock farmers.

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US Government Earmarks $ 35 Million for HIV Management in Acholi as Infection Rate Doubles

GULU – The United States government has earmarked $35 million about Shs 123.3 billion for the management of the Human Immune Virus [HIV] in the Acholi Sub Region as the rate of the infections have reportedly doubled.

The five-year project is being undertaken by the United States Agency for International Development [USAID] aiming at a global agenda of HIV free generation.

The Project Program Director [USAID], Local Partner Health Services, Dr Anna Lawino disclosed in an interview with theCooperator that the fund is established to respond to the resurgence of the virus.

She explained that the areas prioritised in the project are to increase awareness, treatment, and adherence to drugs, viral load suppression and institutional capacity building in the region.

The project which is due for implementation in the next three weeks is to improve access to integrated HIV care and management in Acholi Sub Region and other co-infections.

Whereas The Aids Support Organisation [TASO] Gulu Care Centre is to provide treatment and care, the different health facilities in the region are to increase the rapid testing and referrals.

“The World is looking at increasing awareness by 90%, those infected at 90% to remain on treatment and 90% of the viral load to be suppressed” Lawino further explained.

The support comes at the time the region is experiencing a higher number of infections with the new phenomenon of the Covid19 pandemic.

The infection has reportedly moved up from 8.4% in Gulu district in 2019 to 14% currently in the last one year according to the report by Gulu District Health Department.

However, only 18,000 of the 27,000 people living with the infections in the district have remained on drugs as families struggle to find food to enhance the adherence to treatment.

William Onyai, the Gulu District Health Educator says the district has yet failed to establish the reason why many of the people are abandoning treatment.

Michael Ochwoo, the Centre Manager TASO Gulu, revealed that the Organisation has established 87 drug delivery points in the rural areas within Acholi Sub Region.

“We realised that many of the people are missing on their appointments just because they can’t afford transport to the main centre and this is to help them stay on treatment “Ochwoo added.

Gladys Aol, a 23-year-old graduate of Public Administration at Gulu University and the current Miss Uganda of Young People Living HIV blames that incident on stigma and discrimination.

Aol explained that stigma and social exclusion is not only affecting HIV interventions in the Country but young people have often been denied job opportunities because of their status.

Gloria Anena, another teenager living positively with HIV and a single mother says she dropped out of school in Senior 3 when the Senior Woman Teacher discussed her status with her classmates.

Lambert Lameck Akena, the Councillor Representing Workers in Gulu City who doubles as the Deputy Speaker has described discrimination at the works place as human rights abuse.

“We need to respect the labour law and it’s an offence to deprive people of jobs because of their status and this is one area where we will focus our attention on as Council,” Akena told theCooperator.

He appealed to development partners in the region to step up sensitisation in rural areas where health services are limited to the young people on sexual reproductive health.

The In-charge Patiko Health Centre III, Denis Komakech says the implementation of the five-year project on HIV management should focus mainly on adolescents.

“I have served in the health care sector for the last 18 years and I keep seeing the same problem, same program and the good program like this ends up in papers” Komakech explained.

His Counterpart from Awach Health Centre IV, Patrick Okolong, has called for the strengthening of health education to bridge the knowledge gaps.

He further explained that the Covid19 has affected diagnosis of HIV, a situation he blamed for the upsurge of the infections in the region.

“We have moved back to the early years of the infections and we still can’t establish how many people are infected now and we must integrate it into Covid19 management” Okolong added.

While the Country concentrated its resources on Covid19 management, many of the people living with HIV experienced severe outcomes of the pandemic that increased their vulnerabilities.

At least 1.5 million people are living with the virus in the country according to the recent report by the Ministry of Health [MoH].

Meanwhile, the UNAIDS report 2020 has put the global HIV cases to 37.7 million with about 2 million new cases projected in the year during the first wave of Covid19 infections.

However, only 27.5 million people were enrolled on treatment as the report indicates with 55% of the people were women while children aged between 0-14 accounts for 2.2 million cases.

The disease has also killed 1 million people globally with Sub Saharan Africa representing 67% with about 25,000 deaths occurring in Uganda though the morbidity has reportedly declined by 64%.

As the Countries responded with various measures to contain the new health threat of Covid19, the report by the global fund shows a decline of HIV testing and treatment in Africa and Asia by 41 percent.

MP Donates Part Of His Shs 200M Towards Construction Of A Health Facility

With data collected in the 502 Health Facilities in Africa and 32 from Asian Countries, experts have expressed fear of higher risks of infections in key populations which are projected between 25 and 43 times higher than in the general population with adverse effects of Covid19 on access to health care.

The phenomenon has put a stake on the global agenda of HIV elimination and free generation by 2025 with most of the developing countries including Uganda are resource constraints to provide adequate health care services without foreign aid.

Stephen Odong Latek, the Gulu District Resident Commissioner [RDC] has called for transparency and accountability on the foreign donation in supporting the Health Care Sector in Acholi Sub Region.

“The 25 years of the armed insurgency has its own history but now we are battling the new war of many health complications and we must prioritize accountability for every single fund” Latek warned.

UNAIDS has invested $21.5 US billion as a five-year foreign aid for HIV and AIDS responses in low- and middle-income countries to get on track on free HIV generation by 2025.

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Member drags Kyotamanya SACCO to Court over Shs. 20 million debt

MASINDI – John Byaruhanga commonly known as Bizimungu, a resident of Bubanda village in Ntooma Parish, Bwijanga Sub County, Masindi district has dragged Kyotamanya Savings and Credit Society Organization [SACCO] to Masindi Grade 1 Magistrate Court over a debt amounting to Shs 20 million.

According to Byaruhanga who is also a member of the same SACCO, he lent the SACCO Shs 20 million to save it from losing properties worth millions which were about to be auctioned by one Julius Kiiza who had won a case in court against the same SACCO.

Byaruhanga told theCooperator that Shs 20 million accrued from Shs 2 million which Kiiza had lent the SACCO in 2015.

“After the SACCO failed to pay Kiiza his money, he went to court and won the case which made the money to accumulate from Shs 2 million to Shs 20 million. Kiiza using the court bailiff wanted to auction the SACCO property but I said as a member I couldn’t sit and see the SACCO losing properties due to Shs 20 million,” Byaruhanga explained.

He added that as a way of saving the SACCO from losing the property, he cleared the debt in December 2017, adding that he was surprised to see the SACCO failing to give him his money.

“I paid this money in the Office of the Commercial Officer Masindi and it was witnessed by Christine Kengonzi the former Commercial Officer.

“I made an agreement with the SACCO but it failed to pay me my money. After the SACCO failed to pay, we made another agreement on March 3, 2018, and they accepted to give me a plot measuring 30 by 50 feet in Kikingura trading centre. This plot has a two-roomed commercial house in it,” he said.

He said that this plot is on a piece of titled land belonging to the SACCO noting that he has been waiting for the SACCO management to re-demarcate the land.

“What triggered me to go to court is when I saw the SACCO leaders excavating a pit latrine on the plot which was allocated to me. I have engaged the SACCO leaders several times to open the boundaries in vain. This is the only thing which will make me understand the boundaries of my plot,” Byaruhanga noted.

He noted that he wants the court to help him get the surveyor to open the boundaries such that he can officially own the plot.

Currently, the case is before Masindi Grade 1 magistrate. We were supposed to come for a hearing on Thursday but the hearing adjourned to October 23 2021, since the SACCO leaders never showed up.

Commenting on the matter, Charles Businge Kahwa, the Chairperson, Kyotamanya SACCO said that Byaruhanga is a controversial man who turned against the SACCO explaining that an agreement was reached and he was given a two-roomed commercial house but not the whole plot.

“He turned against us because we agreed that he takes the building but not the whole plot. Even minutes were recorded we have them. He even earlier filed a case in the same court against us but it was dismissed with costs. He has just reinstated it. His intention is to grab our property but for us, we are ready to defend it,” said Kahwa.

Other challenges

Kahwa said that the SACCO is grappling with many challenges saying that currently, they’re struggling to recover Shs 36 million which members took as loans.

“I assumed the office of the Chairperson in 2018. I found when the books had spent more than 10 years without being audited. People took the money but they deliberately refused to pay it back. When I came, I tried to recover this money but instead, I started receiving threats from the members saying if I don’t forego the money, I would get problems,” he further explained.

“The SACCO had many properties but they were all mismanaged by the past leadership,” he noted.

thecooperator.news/internal-fights-rock-fronasa-cooperative

Kyotamanya SACCO is one of the first SACCOs which started in 2008 after President Museveni launched SACCOs in Masindi in 2006.

At first, it was a role model in the region but it later got challenges of poor leadership and mismanagement of funds.

In 2018, Christine Kengonzi, the then Commercial Officer organised a special general meeting to organize for elections after the SACCO had spent 10 years without conducting annual general meetings.

During the elections which were held at Kikingura Primary School, most of the members declined to take the management positions because the SACCO had many challenges including defaulters.

But they later accepted after they were convinced by the Commercial Officer.

Kahwa says, he is planning to organize an annual general meeting to chat a way forward.

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Hundreds of Nwoya Farmers disconnected from market

NWOYA – Hundreds of farmers in Alero and Lungulu Sub Counties in the Nwoya district have been cut off from accessing markets for their produce after a major road became impassable due to lack of routine maintenance.

The road which connects Kinene Trading Center to Lungulu Sub County has been impassable for the last eight months.

This has greatly affected members of Nwoya Cassava and Rice Growers Cooperative Society.

The Co-op’s Vice Chairperson, Odong Michael Obwona says, vehicles are unable to access the area.

“The bad road has made it impossible for us to bulk our produce and negotiate good prices. Our produce store is also now redundant because few people are using it,” he said.

The Cooperative society which has 250 members mainly grows rice, cassava, beans, groundnuts, soybeans and maize.

Obwona said that farmers have made losses as they have been forced to sell their produce at cheaper prices.

“We used to sell our groundnuts at Shs. 120,000 per bag but because of the bad road, members now sell at Shs. 80,000-90,000,” he said.

Angee Jessica, a member of Nwoya Cassava and Rice Growers Cooperative Society said, she is now spending more on transporting her produce to Anaka Town Council on a Boda-boda.

“The only option I have now is to transport my produce to Anaka Town Council on a Boda-boda motorcycle because the buyers who used to come here in vehicles cannot access it anymore

Both Obwona and Angee have appealed to responsible authorities to save the situation.

Ojara Justin Lawot, the Local Council 3[LC III] Chairperson, Alero Sub County says, the road is under the mandate of the district.

“The road was assessed in 2020 for rehabilitation under the Agriculture Cluster Development Project [ACDP] but up to now nothing has happened,” he said.

ACDP is a project under the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industries and Fisheries.

It’s a partnership between the Government of Uganda and the World Bank, financed by the International Development Assistance [IDA] of the World Bank.

Emmanuel Orach, the Nwoya district Chairperson who also doubles as the Secretary of Works and Technical Services says that work on the road could not start because of a meagre budgetary allocation.

“This was among the 8 roads stretching 41.5kms planned for rehabilitation under ACDP but due to financial constraints in the Ministry of Agriculture, four roads including Kinene-Lungulu road were knocked out of the list.”

He said the budget was reduced from Shs 2 billion to Shs 1 billion which can barely work on one road.

Orach is hopeful that the road will be funded in the next financial year as locally raised revenue is too little to facilitate road works.

Nwoya district in May approved a budget of Shs 27.7 billion for the 2021/2022 financial year with road works being allocated Shs1.5 billion.

The budget is largely funded by the Central government at Shs 24.6 billion, development partners at Shs2.4 billion and locally raised revenue at Shs 616.9 million

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Hoima district boss and DEC members charged for forging meeting minutes

HOIMA – Hoima District LCV Chairperson, Kadiri Kirungi and three other members of the District Executive Committee [DEC] on Thursday evening appeared before the Hoima Chief Magistrates Court and were charged for forgery and uttering false documents.

The suspects were arrested on Monday from Kampala where they had gone to make statements. The suspects who were heavily gauged by armed police were first taken to Hoima district headquarters and helped the detectives to carry out a search of their offices before appearing in court.

Kadiri was been charged together with his Vice-Chairperson, Benson Chiche who is also the Buhanika Sub County Councillor, Jackson Mugenyi Mulindambura, the District Secretary for Production and Natural Resources and Geoffrey Kumakech, the District Secretary for Finance and Administration who is also the Buseruka Sub County Councillor.

According to the charge sheet which was presented to the court by State Prosecutor, Julius Ocen, the four are accused of forgery which is contrary to sections 342 and 347 of the Penal Code Act Cap 120, uttering a false document contrary to sections 351 and 347 of the Penal Code Act and conspiracy to commit a felony.

The prosecution told the court that on August 28, 2021; the four while at Hoima Cultural Lodge in Hoima district connived and forged the District Executive Committee [DEC] minutes with intent to deceive, purporting the same had been made on June, 22nd 2021 during the DEC meeting.

Kadiri is also accused of intentionally uttering and fraudulently issuing a false document regarding the District Executive Committee [DEC] minutes to one, Bernard Ochaya while at the State House Anti-Corruption Unit in Entebbe on 30th August 2021, purporting to have been made during the DEC meeting on 22 June-2021 which was not true.

The suspects pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

The Hoima Chief Magistrate, James Opio who presided over the court which started at around 5:00 pm granted the suspects a cash bail of Shs 1.5m each until October 13, 2021, when they will return to court for a hearing of their case. Their sureties were granted a non-cash bail of Shs 10m each.

Trouble for Kadiri and the three officials stemmed from the alleged misuse of road equipment that was impounded by the Police and the State House Anti-Corruption Unit in late August.

The equipment that includes a grader and a Vibro roller machine was found on a private farm owned by an Indian investor at Kaduku village in Kigumba Town Council, Kiryandongo district last month. At the time they were impounded, the grader and the Vibro roller had their number plates plucked off.

This led to the arrest of the Hoima District Engineer, Ibrahim Luswata, Vincent Irumba, the works supervisor, and Charles Tibagwa, a mechanic attached to Hoima district local government. They were accused of conniving with other district leaders to misuse the equipment.

Last week, Benson Chiche told the media that the district had legally hired out the road equipment following a resolution made by the DEC in June this year.

However, the minutes he claimed to have been followed as they hired equipment are being investigated.

End.

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Makerere University Researchers Recommend Modern Farming for Kikuube and Hoima Districts.

KIKUUBE – Researchers from Makerere University have recommended modern farming to Agricultural Officers from the districts of Kikuube and Hoima.

They further urged Agricultural Officers of these districts to sensitize farmers to embrace modern farming after they found out that the soil in the area was exhausted from traditional farming.

The call was sounded by Dr. Patrick Musinguzi, the Principal Investigator for Makerere University Research Innovation Fund Project, last Friday at Buhimba Sub County Head Office in Kikuube district as he was disseminating research findings that were conducted to develop a fertilizer provisional rate on some crops such as Maize, Upland Rice, and Bananas.

The research which was conducted between July 2020 and July 2021 was carried out in Kikuube, Hoima, Namutumba, Mukono Bwikwe, and Wakiso districts after the government funded the College of Agriculture and Environmental Science to conduct research on how farmers can be helped to have better markets and production.

In Kikuube and Hoima districts, the researchers conducted soil testing and plant testing for Maize and Upland Rice and it was found that the soils in these two areas had issues.

He says that soil nitrogen and organic carbon are still modulating whilepotassium, zink, and phosphorus were very low in the soils.

Musinguzi added that soils in some areas such as Buhimba, Kiziranfumbi in Kikuube district, and Butebere in Buhanika Sub-County were found with low and high iron content.

The research findings indicate soils in different parts of the two districts were found with a lot of gravels and stone environment with shallow depths making such soils favorable for grazing and forestry.

According to Musinguzi, such a challenge calls for improved soil nutrients management if the soils are to continue to be productive.

In his research, Dr. Musinguzi recommended that there is a need for farmers in their current state to apply interim or provisional fertilizer as a response to the trials and to keep a record of all input costs so as to compute the profitability associated with fertilizer use.

He also recommended that policy action is needed to consider fertilizer costs and optimized fertilizer use amidst climate change challenges.

He further added that there is a need to help farmers market, conduct weather research, and carry out soil testing before engaging in any productivity of any crop.

He also noted that the challenge faced in Agriculture is that many people are engaging in farming as a last resort and they end up not benefiting.

“People are still practicing subsistence farming and this method is keeping many farmers in poverty,” he said, adding that there is a need to sensitize farmers to undertake agriculture as a business.

As the country heads to implement the parish model of development, there is a need for farmers to embrace research and soil testing; adding these two factors are key in improving Agriculture productivity.

“Without prioritizing research and soil testing, farmers end up applying fertilizers where it is not required and they grow crops on unfavorable soil and they end up making loses, when you do soil and farm test you can be able to estimate the fertilizers to use”

Dr. Musinguzi also called leaders and Agricultural Officials to help maize farmers get alternative crops adding that research described maize as a crop that is not economically viable given the nature of the soils.

According to him, maize is a deep-rooted crop yet different areas such as Buhimba Sub County, Kikuube district have soils with shallow depth that make it unfavorable for maize growing. He noted that the soils need crops that are shallow-rooted such as Rice, Millet, and Sim-sim among others.

He noted that such soil needs a lot of feeding [fertilize application] which makes it very expensive compared to the market price of maize. He advised farmers to engage in maize production for food security but not for commercial purposes.

“We do recommend that some crops that we are planting, let us plant them mindful of the rooting environment of these crops; we recommend crops with shallow roots because we have a very different environment here, but also if you look at the areas that have deep soils like if you go towards Butembere in Buhanika Sub-County and Bulindi in Kyabigambire Sub-County in Hoima district; the soil in those areas look to be deep and they could favor crops that are deep-rooted. So as a farmer, you need to be careful and select the crops in these soils” he said.

Suleiman Mulindwa, the Agricultural Officer for Kyangwali Sub-County says, the research was long overdue adding that the findings are a wake-up call to all farmers to adopt modern farming to ensure productivity on their land.

He noted that most farmers are in agriculture but they do not mind about the issue of soil nutrient management and this has made soil unproductive adding that it’s high time farmers started seeking services of extension workers to help them in the management of their soils if they are to benefit from farming.

He added that farming in the area is becoming tricky due to changing seasons as a result of climate change. He noted that there is a need for the government to support farmers with irrigation and subsidized fertilizers in an effort to promote agriculture.

David Onyita and Vicente Barongo, the Agriculture Officers of Kabwoya Sub County in Kikuube district and Buseruka Sub County in Hoima district respectively said that there is a need for government to come up with stringent policies to fight against bush and garbage burning which they said is increasingly affecting soils.

They noted that soil organic carbon which helps plants to consume fertilizers from the soils is mostly lost through bush and garbage burning.

According to them, the habit of bush burning and garbage [grass] burning in gardens by farmers is rampant in the region and called for government intervention.

“Any soil without organic carbon is wasted soil; even if you apply fertilizer on such land that fertilizer cannot work, so we need to have measures to protect our soils from losing such ingredients.

End.

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Hundreds Face Unemployment as Africell-UG Exits Uganda Market

Hundreds of people employed by Africell-UG, one of the mobile network operators in Uganda are staring at certain unemployment as the operator exits Uganda’s market.

Africell on Tuesday the 7th of September, 2021 shocked its employees and subscribers when it announced that it will stop operations in Uganda early next month.

According to the statement posted on its website, which theCooperator has obtained a copy of, the operator will exit the Ugandan market on October, 7th, 2021.

The decision to exit the Ugandan market is based on its assessment of the long-time commercial outlook for the business and it fits in the strategies of the company.

The company in its statement added that they are working with Uganda Communications Commission [UCC], a body that regulates telecommunications in the country, and other local mobile network operators to ensure that the migration process is as smooth as possible for customers who will need to switch to alternative providers.

Africell introduced its mobile network services in Uganda in 2014 after acquiring assets of defunct Orange Uganda, another operator.

It has been providing jobs to hundreds of Ugandans, who have been working as managers, sales executives, and agents in its offices spread across the country.

Africell Uganda has also been providing mobile network services to millions of customers in Uganda.

The company’s decision to exit the Ugandan market now leaves MTN Uganda, Airtel, and UTL which is majorly used by Uganda Police Force as the only major telecommunications companies in Uganda.

Sameul Elungat, who sells Africell Sim-Cards along Soroti main-street, said that a decision by the company to close its operations in Uganda is a very big blow to him.

According to him, for the past three years, he has been selling Africell Sim-cards.

“I have been feeding my family with the money I get as commission after selling these Sim-cards but now the company has decided to exit the Ugandan market and I really don’t know where to begin from,” said Elungat.

Sarah Asekenye, another Sim-card vendor operating opposite Teso Bus Park appealed to the company’s management to consider giving them at least some package.

This she said will help them start a new life, adding that it’s very hard to get some casual work to do in order to get money, a number of entities that they would approach for a job have cut the number of their workers due to the effects of Covid19.

“A majority of us now will be forced to leave town and go back to the village because life is going to be very hard without a job” Asekenye said.

End.

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Teso leaders must focus on human resource development, says Norbert Mao

SOROTI – Teso regional leaders have been tasked to focus on human resource development if they are to compete and benefit equally like other regions of the country.

The call was made by Nobert Mao, the President General of the Democratic Party during his routine party visits to Soroti district.

Mao said that Teso is blessed with many human resource development institutions, citing examples of Arapai Agricultural College, now Busitema University, Teso University, Soroti Fruit Factory, and many more.

He further urged that if Teso does not focus on human resource development, they will not get a better share of the jobs in these same institutions in their region since they will not have the qualifications required to get jobs.

“Other people with qualifications will take up the jobs available in these institutions at the expense of Teso people because they lack the competence,” Mao further said.

Mao also advised the leadership of Teso to put together a lot of efforts and help lobby for quality education but not accessible education for the development of Teso.

Corruption of Covid-19 Taskforce Funds in Teso

Meanwhile, the Soroti City West Member of Parliament, Jonathan Ebwalu says, the best parents in Teso can do; is to take their children to better schools so they can access quality education.

According to him, Teso College Aloet which was one of the giant schools built using loans their fathers accessed from Bugishu Cooperative Union can again access loans for the development of the school.

He added that Teso had, Teso Education Fund [TEF] that focused on helping vulnerable children who were unable to continue with further studies. This must be revived, he said.

“It’s the only way that we can improve education in the region and soon we will revive it,” Ebwalu said.

Simon Okanya, the Human Resource Officer of Soroti district, admitted that a lot needs to be done in Teso region in terms of education. He further says Teso has not invested in the people, to give them the necessary skills for the jobs.

“Other regions have skills in abundance compared to what Teso has,” he said.

Okanya said that if only Teso leaders could look at skilling the people in the region, to take on the jobs that their institutions offer; that’s when they can realize meaningful employment and benefit as a region.

Fred Akol, the Workers Representative for Soroti City Council says the district has funds allocated for capacity building but not sufficient enough.

He adds that Teso as a region has bright brains but most of them prefer looking for greener pastures elsewhere.

He cited an example that the district hasn’t found yet a District Engineer not because they are less educated but the local persons here do not have the qualification for the job.

“We would have loved for our local people to take on most of the jobs but the position may require qualifications that our local people don’t have,” Akol said.

He, therefore, appealed to the government to look into this so that the district can develop the local capacity to fit into the areas that are created.

End.

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Minister to Follow up on City Dwellers who Missed Covid19 relief Funds

HOIMA – The Minister of State for Bunyoro Affairs, Jennifer Kaacha Namuyangu has promised to follow up on the people who missed out on the Covid-19 relief cash.

The Government through the Prime Minister’s office and the Ministry of Gender, Labor and Social Development [MGLSD] have earmarked Shs 53 billion to support various categories of vulnerabilities in cities and municipalities across the country. Under this program, each household was allocated Shs100, 000.

The Minister on Tuesday afternoon stormed Hoima City to investigate if the guidelines were followed during the registration of the beneficiaries.

During the meeting held at the City head offices, the Minister tasked the Accounting Officers and City leaders to explain the criteria that were used to select the beneficiaries.

She was also assessing whether the beneficiaries were selected from the recommended categories of groups that the government had recommended such as boda-boda riders, salon operators, and others whose work was either totally stopped or restricted to a certain level to reduce the spread of Covid19.

The Minister further queried the number of people who missed out on the funds and the reasons why they missed among others.

Reacting to the queries, the Hoima City Deputy Mayor, Sylvia Nalumaga told the Minister that 114 people missed out on the relief funds saying 9,346 out of the 9,460 targeted beneficiaries received the funds.

According to Nalumaga, the City registered approximately 20,000 people but their target was 9,460 adding that 114 were missed because of mismatching information of their particulars.

We had a problem of mismatching information, whereby some phones were registered in different names, invalid NINs, and the number of people who turned up for registration was beyond the targeted number.

The Hoima City Town Clerk, Innocent Ahimbisibwe said, a few of the guidelines were not followed as a result of limited time.

He says, they were supposed to display names of beneficiaries and making verifications before getting the money but it was not possible due to the limited time that was allotted to them during the process.

He added that the exercise was successful though they had some challenges and advised that next time, the government should give enough time to the people on ground when implementing similar programs

Minister Namuyangu commended the leadership of Hoima City for following the right procedures. She promised to table the list of those who missed out on the money to the Ministry of Gender to ensure that they can be considered.

“I have taken the report and we are going to see what to do because these were budgeted for though the information they submitted was not corresponding” she called on all those who received the money to come out and tell the truth instead of denying that they did not receive the money.

The Hoima Resident City Commissioner [RCC], Samuel Kisembo commended the government for the initiative saying the method used in identifying the beneficiaries was appropriate compared to that of supplying food.

He explained that the method used when supplying food had so many challenges such as lack of facilitation and transport, adding that they ended up using their own money to reach the beneficiaries.

The minister’s concerns come after the Local Government Accounts Committee of Parliament visited Hoima City last week and also questioned the City officials how the Covid19 relief cash was paid.

The lawmakers led by the Committee Chairperson, Basil Batalingaya Rwankwene questioned how Shs 8 million meant to facilitate the beneficiary Enumerators was used, verification of double payment reports, how the beneficiaries were selected, and how stakeholders were engaged among others.

Innocent Ahimbisibwe, the Town Clerk for Hoima City told that committee that the Shs 8 million allowances were divided into two by the divisions with each receiving Shs 4 million to facilitate its Enumerators and data entrants.

However, the Committee directed that all the beneficiaries be displayed at different notice boards for transparency and confirmation.

Batalingaya said the investigations are going; so continue verifying cases of double payment for some beneficiaries adding that anyone who will be found to have connived to mismanage the Covid19 relief funds will be punished.

End.

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