Gulu Archdiocese launches commercial cassava growing in Northern Uganda

Gulu, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Gulu Archdiocese is set to launch a project aimed at mass commercialization and industrialization of cassava growing in Northern Uganda.

The Acholibur Parish project headed by the Gulu Arch Diocese Archbishop Dr John Baptist Odama will officially be launched on Saturday in Acholi Bur sub-county Pader district.

Fr. Mathew Okun Lagoro, the chairperson organizing committee for the project launch told URN in an interview on Thursday that a total of 10,000 farmers have been mobilized to grow cassava in Pader district.

He says that over 6,000 farmers drawn from the sub-counties of Lapul, Latanya, Pajule and Acholibur pioneered the project in its second year that aims at eradicating poverty in households in the region.

According to Fr Lagoro, about 10 tons of dried cassava chips harvested by farmers this season are expected to be flagged off for sale to Bukona Agro Processors Ltd in Nwoya district.

He says the lucrative markets for cassava products at the local, national and international markets drove them to initiate the project in the region where the crop has been seen as valueless in the past.

“When we studied cassava, we found that it is a very miraculous crop. There are countries in the world like Brazil, China, Malaysia and India that has been turned around because of cassava growing, cassava has over 20 components in it that can be used for manufacturing paint, medicine and ethanol for fuel and spirits,” Says Fr Lagoro.

Fr Lagoro says the Archdiocese has since signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Bukona Agro Processors Ltd in Nwoya district that will be solely buying dried cassava chips from the farmers annually. Currently, the factory will buy a kilogram of dried cassava chips from the farmers at 500 shillings.

He says through the arrangement, they expect the current 10,000 farmers mobilized in the near future to have improved livelihood and also be able to use safe and clean energy from ethanol and clean stoves.

The Acholibur parish project will also emphasize on growing of vegetable among farmer’s groups in the district.

For instance, in Aringomone Omuny-turubuc village, latigi parish in Latanya sub county, an irrigation scheme has already been set for 15 farmers group who will be growing tomatoes, watermelon and onions.

Justine Ocen, the Latanya sub-county LCV councilor says the initiative will improve on earnings of locals in the area thereby enabling them to afford paying school fees and medical treatment for their family members.

“We laud the Archdiocese for this project which has already started changing lives of people in our area, in few years to come, we shall see a transformed community that is able to fend for their families without begging,” he says.

The Pader Resident District Commissioner Dusman Okee reveals that government plans to set up a mini distillery factory at acholibur sub-county headquarters. He says the factory will help to add value to the cassava that will be produced from the district before they are sold to outside markets.

The Archdiocese in its bid to promote the project last year partnered with government through Operation Wealth Creation [OWC] where farmers were provided with free high yielding cassava cuttings.

Despite the initiative aimed at seeing mass growing of cassava in the region, several farmers have over the years been left devastated after failing to get markets for their cassava.

Just last year, thousands of farmers under the Acholibur parish project were left stuck with tons of cassava after failing to get markets leaving them at the mercy of exploitation from middlemen who buy cheaply.

Bukona agro-processors are expected to purchase 20,000 tons of dry cassava cuttings annually from farmers Acholibur parish project.

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URN