Ruth Kibowa, the Mayuge District LC Vice Chairperson, says they have resolved to find better paying projects for the residents to substitute the traditional sugar cane plantations whose incomes have kept dwindling over years.
The Agriculture Minister Vincent Ssempijja and other farmers at hip of harvested Oil palm seeds recently, Leaders in Mayuge are now encouraging farmers to leave Sugarcane growing for Palm Oil the Project.
Mayuge district local government is deliberating modalities of reducing the acreage of sugarcane plantations in favor of Oil Palm trees as a better alternative to improving people's incomes. Mayuge district, which is found in Busoga sub region, is known for growing sugarcane that feeds several sugar factories in the sub region.
However, Ruth Kibowa, the Mayuge District LC Vice Chairperson, says they have resolved to find better paying projects for the residents to substitute the traditional sugar cane plantations whose incomes have kept dwindling over years.
Kibowa disclosed this while leading Mayuge district officials and other stakeholders on bench-marking tour to the Kalangala Oil Palm project. She says they are committed to persuade all the sugarcane out-growers to turn to Oil Palm trees, which she says is a more viable project.
//Cue in: “It is very viable……………………
Cue out…………………..will not be the same//
Luganda
//Cue In: “Bwetugenze mu field………..
Cue out…………………..alina esente zaafuna//.
In 1999, while negotiating the deal with proprietors of Kalangala Oil Palm Project to establish the project on Bugala Island in Kalangala district, Government offered 6,000 acres of land to the Malaysian investors as an incentive for the scheme.
Maxwell Boaz Mulindwa, the Mayuge District speaker, says they are also considering degazetting some Forest reserves in the area to pave way for the project.
He says they are already identifying people with huge chunks of land to convince them to embrace the project for purposes of increasing productivity and ensuring sustainability.
//Cue in: “We do not have land……………..
Cue out…………..to go in Palm Oil growing//
Lusoga
//Cue In: “Eyiza kiriime kyetwenda…………
Cue out……………….tulina ebibira bingi ino//.
Betty Isabirye, a Sugarcane farmer from Buyemba in Mayuge district, says members of her group also approve of the benefits of the Oil Palm project.
//Cue in: “Turi ready ino kubanga……………………
Cue out ………………..lye ngenda okulimaku ebindi//
Government is in the final stages of securing a loan to the tune of US$ 75 million from the International Fund for Agricultural Development to expand Oil Palm growing to ten more district in Uganda.
