Government has established five new multi-million agro-supermarket hubs across northern Uganda with the aim of changing fortunes for farmers in Acholi and Lango sub-regions.
Speaking during the commissioning of the latest agro-supermarket hub at Unyama Ward in Pece-Laroo Division in Gulu City at the weekend, the State minister for Northern Uganda, Ms Grace Freedom Kwiyucwiny, urged the beneficiaries to maximally utilise the facility in order to attract more markets and alleviate poverty.
The Shs493.7m facility is expected to enable farmers in Gulu District to gain knowledge on post-harvest handling, and access quality inputs at affordable prices, including markets for their produce.
This publication has established that four other similar facilities have been established in the districts of Alebtong, Pader, Oyam, and Nwoya, at a total cost of Shs2.5b.
The agro-supermarkets were established under the chase hunger and poverty project implemented by National Agricultural Research Organisation (Naro) under the Development Initiative for Northern Uganda (DINU) project.
Since 2018, Naro has been implementing the “chase hunger and poverty” project in Nwoya, Gulu, Kitgum, Pader, Lira, Alebtong, Kole and Oyam districts.
“The hub will support existing and emerging farmer cooperatives and groups in the districts, enabling them to undertake bulk procurement of quality inputs, including farm machinery, equipment, materials and supplies among others,” Ms Kwiyucwiny said.
Mr Mayanja Gonzaga, the commissioner for monitoring and evaluation at the Local Government ministry, said the agro-supermarkets will prioritise value-addition to agro-produce and skills acquisition.
“The demonstrations and the equipment which have been availed and those that are going to be availed will help us do a lot of value-addition. These facilities will also greatly boost skills levels in agro-entrepreneurship among farmers in the region,” Mr Mayanja said.
Meanwhile, during the ceremony, Ms Kwiyucwiny urged communities in the Acholi sub-region to desist from recklessly selling their land, warning that it could breed many homeless squatters in the near future.
“Guard your land jealously because there is a big wave of people selling land in northern Uganda. If you sell everything, what will you remain with? Government is now supporting commercial farmers,” she said.
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