The onset of the March to May rainfall was expected to be a busy time for farmers, as they clear gardens and start planting. But farmers in Orom say that they have been frustrated by the failure of the wildlife authorities to control elephants that are marauding from Kidepo Valley National Game Park.
Qirino Olum, the Orom Sub County Chairperson Lower Local Government told the Uganda Radio Network on Saturday in an interview that the elephants have been into the area for a week now
Atenyo says two months into growing okra, sukuma wiki [Collard Greens], and pumpkin, she is earning decently. She now makes between shillings 10,000 to 20,000 daily from sales of vegetables in the market adding that she has been able to provide for the family and join a SACCO group to save money.
The project will include the construction of a 20,000 cubic metric capacity multipurpose valley dam, a small scale irrigation scheme, establishment of reforestation projects, river bank restoration schemes and community access road rehabilitation.
More than 600 pigs have reportedly died from the strange disease in the villages of Bajere, Bajere East, Oget, and Okwici in Labongo Akwang Sub-county since November last year.
Kitgum District Veterinary Officer Dr. Alfred Kinyera says they have only been using the cold chain for vaccine storage while the rest of the equipment hasn’t been used due to lack of a specialist to operate them.
Dr Alfred Kinyera, the Kitgum District Veterinary Officer said that the disease was first reported on January 13th after death of four cattle on separate days.
The District Secretary for Production and Marketing Emmanuel Langabi Oryema says the ban was imposed to avoid further spread of the African Swine Fever disease.
East Acholi is considered one of the cotton basket in Acholi sub-region. In 2020, cotton farmers in the districts of Lamwo, Kitgum, Pader and Agago, collectively produced 30,000 bales of lint according to statistics from the Uganda ginners and Cotton exporters association.
Michael Obita Okela, a farmer and a resident of Oget village says he lost 46 pigs worth millions of shillings within just a week following the outbreak of the disease.
He says his pigs started presenting with symptoms of straightened back hair, loss of appetite, vomiting, and reddish skin adding that pigs with such symptoms die within only a day.
The deployment of Local Defence Unit-LDU personnel follows intelligence reports of an intended raid by Karimojong warriors as the festive season approaches, according to security sources.
Rose Anena, a farmer in Lokung Sub County in Lamwo district is one of the farmers who fell victim to the theft of approximately 1,800 kilograms of simsim. According to Anena, thieves raid their gardens mainly in the night or when it is raining.
Kabuleta says finding market has long been a challenge for farmers not only in Acholi sub-region but the entire country and notes that it’s the responsibility of government to solve it.
Pamela Akello, a site Agronomist at the irrigation scheme acknowledges the challenges faced by the farmers, saying it had a devastating effect on the projected sale of crops after harvest in the last season.
John Okeny, the Chairperson of Manjola Fish farmers says in 2014, the then project manager stole some vital components from the hatchery and other items worth over Shillings 20 million.
The state Minister for Environment also the Kitgum Municipality legislator revealed to URN in an interview on Thursday that the project will be undertaken through her ministry.
Several fish ponds, nursery beds for trees, a residential house, vegetable and maize gardens near the river banks in Pager and Central Divisions have since been submerged. Margaret Lakidi, a fish farmer in Ayul B village in Pager Division says five of her fish ponds have been submerged.
The warriors reportedly raided Agoromin village in Lolwa Parish at about 5 pm on Monday evening and looted 60 animals belonging to Calvin Ocaya, a livestock farmer in the area. 26 of the looted animals were Freshian while 34 were local breeds, security personnel reported.
Joel Odota, a resident of Padibe West Sub County in Lamwo district says that although farming runs in their family, he had not taken time to fully engage in agriculture until the pandemic rendered him jobless.
Nabuzi says for more than six times, she had to throw away bananas worth 100,000 shillings that had started rotting on her stall as a result of low sales.
