National Oil Seed Project to Benefit 1,187 Households in Kitgum

The National Oil Seed Project (NOSP) is set to benefit 1,187 households in Kitgum District, providing a major boost to smallholder farmers engaged in oilseed production. Funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID), the project aims to accelerate commercialization in key oilseed value chains while improving farmers' livelihoods and resilience.

The seven-year project (2021-2027) is being implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry, and Fisheries in collaboration with the Ministry of Local Government. It will provide beneficiary households with training and foundation oil seeds such as simsim, sunflower, groundnuts, and soybeans.

According to Jerry Nyeko, the focal person for the NOSP in Kitgum, the project will be rolled out in five sub-counties: Orom East, Namokora North, Omiya Anyima West, Kitgum Matidi, and Lalano. These sub-counties have been grouped into three clusters, with Orom East in Cluster One, Namokora North and Omiya Anyima West in Cluster Two, and Kitgum Matidi and Lalano in Cluster Three.

Nyeko explained that the selection of these sub-counties was based on a report from the Kitgum District Local Government’s Production and Marketing Department. The report identified them as having vast land and a strong history of oilseed production, making them ideal for the NOSP. Kitgum is one of 81 districts in Uganda selected to benefit from the project, which has been divided into six regions: West Nile, Northern, Mid-Northern, Eastern, Mid-Western, and Karamoja.

The project has two main components. The first component, Support to Oilseed Value Chain Development, aims to cluster 120,000 smallholder farmer households and accelerate the growth of competitive oilseed clusters and value chains. The second component, Support to Market Linkage Infrastructure for the Oilseed Sector, focuses on improving local transportation infrastructure and enhancing access to markets for oilseed farmers.

The NOSP is expected to significantly improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers in Kitgum by increasing their income and enhancing their resilience to climate change. Additionally, the project supports the government’s broader goal of increasing oilseed production and reducing Uganda’s dependence on imported edible oils.