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Lira, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Sorghum farmers in the Lango sub-region are experiencing significant improvements in productivity and income thanks to threshers donated by Uganda Breweries Limited (UBL). During a recent engagement with UBL officials in Lira East, farmers expressed appreciation for the machines, noting that they have greatly reduced post-harvest losses and increased efficiency in sorghum production.
Tom Ongom, an elder and co-founder of the Abur Lango Farmers Cooperative Society, emphasized the impact of the threshers compared to the traditional hand-beating method. “We are very grateful to Uganda Breweries for donating these threshers to address our biggest challenge, which was threshing. Women especially were burdened by this task, often complaining of itching and fatigue from prolonged threshing. Now, they are happier and more productive,” Ongom said. He believes this advancement will lead to higher incomes and expanded sorghum cultivation.
Ongom also commended UBL for providing high-quality seeds that have further boosted sorghum yields. However, he urged the brewery to improve the timely distribution of seeds and increase sensitization efforts to encourage commercial farming for poverty alleviation.
In July 2024, Uganda Breweries donated five threshers valued at Shs25 million, benefiting 1,000 smallholder farmers nationwide. This initiative was aimed at enhancing efficiency and productivity among farmers.
Isaac Oret, the Cooperative Society Coordinator said, the introduction of threshers has simplified the threshing and cleaning process, making it less labor-intensive.
The partnership with UBL has provided farmers with a stable and profitable market for their sorghum. Oret noted, “Currently, the price of maize is Shs650, but sorghum’s lowest price is Shs1,000. This stable and lucrative market has greatly boosted farmers’ incomes.”
Sheila Sabune, UBL’s Corporate Relations Director said, “By working closely with farmers, we empower communities and ensure the quality of inputs meets our standards,” she said. Sabune explained that the threshers were introduced in response to farmers’ concerns over the labor-intensive manual threshing methods. “Previously, it would take 2-3 days to thresh two or three bags per person. With the thresher, this has improved to 10 bags per hour, reducing the strain on women who predominantly handle this work.”
The threshers are part of UBL’s broader “Farm for Success” program, which tackles farming challenges related to quality inputs and best practices. UBL invests Shs52 billion annually in farming communities that supply raw materials for its production, supporting 50,000 farmers across its value chain.
