Ministry of Finance Officials Monitor and Commend NAADS Projects
Officials from the Natural Resources Committee of the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MoFPED) have commended the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) for contributing to the improvement of the livelihood of farmers through supporting farmers with agricultural inputs.
The team led by the Chairperson of the committee Mr. Francis Xavier Yiga conducted a field to monitor NAADS interventions in the districts of Mubende, Kabarole and Bushenyi. The committee that was constituted by the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development plays an oversight role over the agriculture sector, the energy sector and water and environment sector. The committee is responsible for auditing the sectors to ensure proper use of resources disbursed to the different Government Ministries, Agencies and Departments in the three sectors.
During the monitoring exercise that took place from 3rd to 10th March 2021, the five-member committee visited Madudu Twegatte Farmers’ Cooperative Society in Madudu sub county in Mubende district where Government through the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries and NAADS supported the farmers with a tractor to promote agricultural mechanization. The cooperative also received a modern grain storage facility constructed by NAADS.
The Chairperson of the association Bright Nuwagaba told the committee that since NAADS handed over the 300 metric tons’ grain store to the association in 2017, their membership has grown from 150 to 1,835 farmers. The quality of the maize produced by the farmers has greatly improved due to the modern store which has attracted major maize buyers and other development partners including World Food Programme, Aponye, Sasakawa Uganda, Fica Seeds Ltd and many others.
Nuwagaba says the tractor has helped the farmers to increase the production of maize and other crops. As a result of the impact created by the support from NAADS, the cooperative has attracted more support from the Agriculture Cluster Development Project under the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries to establish a maize mill in the area to add value to the maize produced by the farmers.
In Kabarole district, the committee visited the Chairperson of Rwengaju model sub county Richard Nyakana who was supported by NAADS with a feed mill worth UGX 80m. The mill that was installed in December 2020 has already started yielding results enabling Nyakana to have good quality feeds for his birds and animals.
Nyakana says since he received the feed mill, his poultry project is performing very well giving him more eggs and same sized eggs which was not the case before while manually mixing the feeds.
In Bushenyi, the committee visited Bushenyi Youth Forum, a presidential initiative for supporting the youth out of unemployment. Through NAADS, Government supported the project with in-calf heifers, goats, pigs, one-day old chicks and feeds, a milk cooler and artificial insemination kits. The Chairperson of the forum Edmund Bashasha said the project has helped to create employment for more than 100 youth not only in Bushenyi district but across the entire country.
32-year-old Andrew Atwinamatsiko relocated from Kampala where he had looked for jobs in vain and went back to the village in Bushenyi to venture in agriculture. Through Bushenyi Youth forum, he received an in-calf heifer and four pigs in 2016 and his life has not remained the same. The graduate of computer science has managed to construct a descent house for his family, pays school fees and is able to take care of his family.
A member of the committee Al Hajj Mohammed Sadiq Mayanja said they were impressed with the impact of government interventions and encouraged such models to be replicated in other areas for the improved household incomes and poverty eradication.
Other members of the committee included Rose Munyiira a former woman MP for Busia, James Muliira an advocate for the committee and Julius Mugisa the manager Audit at NAADS Secretariat.
