By: Godwin Abedican

Arua

Uganda Export Promotion Board has encouraged farmers in Arua district to venture in to commercial agriculture to break the chain of subsistence farming.
In an engagement with farmers in arua district on 30^th May 2022, the farmers were advised to move from Small Scale Farming to Large Scale and Commercial Farming if their income levels are to improve.

Speaking while opening an  engagement between Uganda Export Promotion Board and farmer’s in Arua district, the woman Member of Parliament for arua District, Hon. Paparu Lillian Obiale, urged the farmers to take advantage of government programs to improve on their livelihoods. “This is the right time and with the Parish Development Model coming and since most of the people in the district earn their living through farming, this engagement is going to awaken their energy to plan better and work harder” she said.

According to Lillian, currently farming in the district is mostly done by the women and hence the output is not much and this always constrains the women. She identified the rampant cases of sale of land as one of the main causes of reduction in agricultural output in the district. She says the parish development model has commercialization of agriculture as one of the elements planned to boost the model. “The government is ready to facilitate the board to look for market for the products of the farmers. Commercial agriculture should not be looked at as something that is going to rob the local market since there shall be selected crops to be grown and the small scale productions shall also be done to feed the local market.” Lillian said.

Noreen Kamot, who facilitated the engagement on behalf of Uganda Export Promotion Board, says as the national focal point for export development and promotion they are looking forward to having a partnership with the farmers and having a memorandum of understanding with the district on how the farmers can be supported technically to enable them increase production. “When you look at our exports, over 80 percent is agricultural products so it becomes very important to engage with the farmers. That is where production starts and we need to see how to organize our domestic trade in order to widen our export base.” She said.
Ezama Ham Muzamil, the Resident District Commissioner Arua, warned the farmers against issues of land wrangles in which some of the people have taken the law in their hands. He says there are endeavors to involve the stake holders over land issues, since there have been plantations destroyed something which can escalate insecurity in the district which may affect production in the district.