By Godwin Abedican

Arua

Arua district commenced with awareness creation among the district leaders on Thursday 9^th February 2023, which was later on rolled out to other stake holders and farmers as the first step in preparation for the implementation of a Micro-Scale Irrigation Program under U-GIFT, funded by the World Bank and managed by Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industries and Fisheries (MAAIF) set to be implemented in the financial year 2023/2024.

The program that targets male and female progressive farmer requires every individual farmer to provide at least 2.5 acres of land, a nearby and non-seasonal source of water, access to land for at least a period of one year and willingness to cost share with the funders. Close to a year down the road after the awareness creation among the farmers, number of them have shown interest and commitment towards taking part in this program.

Kefa Adukule, a farmer in Vurra Sub-County says his aim is to shift from being a subsistence farmer to embrace commercial agriculture through this program
“My target is to venture into horticulture and piggery and I believe that if it takes off very well, I expect to increase and stabilize my income realized from farming and I will be glad to make it my hobby,” he said in a telephone interview with Radio Pacis.

A total of 130 farmers expressed interest under this program in the   district out of which, 15 have paid their commitment fee of one million as required per farmer according to the project guidelines. This money helps to establish the number of those interested and hence informing the process of procurement based on the number of those who commit to pay, with balances payable after the evaluation and selection of the bidders to supply the equipment accordingly as the funders (through the government, that is MAIIF) covering Co-payment of 75 percent Co-payment of the total equipment cost with.

Joan Eyotaru, one of the farmers who has paid her commitment fee of one million says, this will be a long term project that she will take on given that she already has a smaller irrigation system that she is currently using. “I am just waiting for them and I believe that with my intention to do vegetable growing based on the market survey that I did, I will really make money out of this program as a beneficiary. I am even feeling that we are being delayed due to the processes ahead”. Eyotaru said

The program was first piloted in 40 districts across the country as phase one districts and following recommendations from that it was rolled out to other 95 districts in phase two and Arua district falls under cluster 14 of the program

Elia Onziga, the district Senior Agricultural Engineer Arua, calls for patience among those who have paid as the procurement process is already on “We are at the point of procuring the irrigation equipment in which we are obtaining quotations from prequalified suppliers. At least we were able to set up a demonstration farm last year and also link the farmers to financial institutions for loans. The challenge is that we have had a very low turn up by farmers which has equally contributed to the delay in the commencement of the project by farmers,” Onziga explained.

The program is also set to support small holder farmers willing to transition from mostly subsistence to more commercial agriculture through the growing of high value crops.

COVER PHOTO: Lukas Ajionzi a demonstration farmer shows the District officials and project leaders the irrigation lines he laid in Arivu Sub-County By Godwin Abedican