UGANDA: Gulu Archdiocese, Government Sign MOU on Cassava Commercialization and Industrialization Project

Isaac Ojok

Gulu Ecclesiastical Province has expressed commitment to embrace farming continuously as a tool to economically empower Christian families and to work with Government and other partners in laying strategic plans for development under Cassava Commercialization and Industrialization project.

This was on the occasion of the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) sanctioned by the Solicitor General between the Church and the Government of the Republic of Uganda through the Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF).

According to Fr Matthew Okun Lagoro the coordinator of Cassava Commercialization and Industrialization project, the parties involved in the signing of the MoU were the Most Rev. John Baptist Odama the Archbishop of Gulu flanked by three other bishops Rt. Rev. Sanctus Lino Wanok of Lira Diocese, Rt. Rev. Raphael Wokorach of Nebbi Diocese and Rt. Rev .Sabino Ochan Odoki of Arua diocese, while the executive director of National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) signed the Memorandum of Understanding on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF).

Also present to witness the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding was the representative of the Local Government leaders of Acholi one of the areas where the activities of the project are being implemented.

In an interview with AMECEA News correspondent, Fr Okun Lagoro said in the MoU, the Archdiocese of Gulu shall identify target communities within the province to benefit from planting materials and any other inputs related to the project.

The second party shall have farmers mobilized, registered and prepared to receive planting materials, other project inputs and to be in cooperatives to enable better production, processing-marketing and banking services.

Apart from the above, the Archdiocese working with District Local Government shall provide minimum management services through Caritas and other technical bodies to facilitate provision of technical assistance to improve quality and quantity of cassava for the project.

Meanwhile Government through Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) will have the obligation to provide funds for the procurement and supply of quality inputs and other planned project activities.

Furthermore, working closely with MAAIF, the District Local Governments and the Second Party shall ensure planting materials are inspected and their quality assured prior contracting.

According to document, it also indicates that in close consultations with the second party and in compliance to set rules and regulations governing public procurement, the first party will administer supply contracts with Christian farmers for provision of planting materials.

Working closely with the respective District Local Governments, Government through NAADS will ensure all inputs delivered to any district is verified and quality assured on delivery in the districts before distributions. The government will also provide technical supervision during implementation of activities, and to liase with other actors to ensure smooth and coordinated implementation of the project as well as working with other non-state agencies to promote technological advancement and value addition in Cassava product variety.

Another role and responsibility of the government is to provide the second party with grant for facilitation of project related activities, coordinate planning, monitoring and evaluation of the project.

Fr Okun Lagoro also said that on the 26^th August 2021, a Presidential donation of one tractor was delivered to Acholibur Parish farmers as part of support to the project, the development he said is timely for its intended purpose since it was pledged by HE Yoweri Kaguta Museveni President of the Republic of Uganda during his visit to the area in 2019.

He went on to share that the group members are waiting to receive additional 10 more tractors from the Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) to support development of Cassava Commercialization and Industrialization project.

Another set of activity according to Fr Okun is that farmers who had sold cassava planting materials from Acholi and Lango are set to receive their payments through the bank with coordination from partners like Operation Wealth Creation (OWC) and National Agricultural Advisory Services-NAADS to ensure transparency.

Due to high demands for cassava from clients, he noted that presently farmers are set to reactivate another round to supply cassava planting materials to people in Northern Uganda who want to better their livelihood through farming due to favorable amount of rainfall the region is currently receiving.

He said in that regard, a total estimate of 74 thousand bags of cassava planting materials are going to be supplied to farmers in Lango and Acholi to boost cassava commercialization and industrialization program.

As pioneers of the project, Fr. Matthew Okun Lagoro further shared that they intend to kick start visiting all the farmers in Lango MOU signed by different key proponents of the program, to ensure effective participation and implementation by all parties.

He continued that the farmers upon embracing the demand driven program of cassava commercialization and industrialization project are registering the progress which is impacting them individually.

Apart from the impact of the program in the livelihood of the farmers, he noted that a robust rapport has developed between the Church and the district leadership in Acholi and Lango as a result of the network of collaboration developed since the inception of the project.

In his further remarks, he implored the priests in Gulu Ecclesiastical Province to embrace the program and use it as mobilization tool to offer pastoral care to the flock in their parishes.

For effective implementation and better monitoring of the program, Fr Okun went on to reveal other plan to create a commission with well-designed structure at the Archdiocese to the parish level with assistance of the priests to coordinate sequence of activities.

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