Farmers in the Butaleja district in Eastern Uganda can finally smile following a multi-billion grant in the form of agricultural machinery extended to the district by the Chinese administration.
The equipment included eleven tractors with a trailer, boom sprayer and seed planter each.
Also with the tractors were combined harvested and value addition machines to enable farmers send finished products to the market in order to get maximum prices. These together cost two million US dollars.
Mr Waya Richard, the former District Chairperson who received the consignment on behalf of the people of Butaleja welcomed the assistance and applauded the Chinese people, adding that this was to drastically empower the district economically.
The donation is a result of a proposal the politician made to the Chinese government to help in improving agricultural production and productivity, value addition and creation of employment for the youths in the district.
Speaking to the media at the receipt of the multi-million dollar machinery, Waya explained that the people of Bataleja whose main cash crop is rice always felt cheated that they had to sell unprocessed rice to large producers like Kibimba for a small price other than they would have been able to get had they been in a position to process and package their produce. There were also concerns that the labour-intensive approach to agriculture adversely affects productivity which he says the news-acquired machines will potentially address it.
He said the one tractor at the scheme was always overloaded with farmers lining up during the planting season leading to many missing out which optimistically says will remain a fact of the past.
Mr Waya told Watchdog that the new equipment will be used under a cooperative arrangement where farmers. Will team up to facilitate effective utilization. He further said that the district will be charged with monitoring, supervision of the tractors and also take over their maintenance for effective handling.
Mr Lyada Moses, a former MP contestant for Bunyole West hailed Mr Waya’s patriotic efforts that he said have seen the district benefit even after he was voted out of office.
Lyada challenged the leadership of the district to emulate Mr Waya, arguing that Fu ding from the government alone will never be sufficient to achieve overall economic transformation in the area so much pulled down by abject poverty.
President Museveni is expected to officiate the official handover of the donation at a function which the Chinese Ambassador has also confirmed to attend later next month.
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