ACDP: Iganga District cluster committees inaugurated

The minister of agriculture, animal industry and fisheries, Vincent Bamulangaki Ssempijja yesterday 7^th February 2018 launched and inaugurated Iganga district cluster multi-stakeholder platform, coordinating committees and kick started the stakeholder sensitization exercise which will be responsible for proper management of the agriculture cluster development project (ACDP) for this cluster.

In the meeting of all technical officers, area RDC and political leaders held at the district headquarters, Ssempijja said his ministry is committed in supporting agricultural agenda as prioritized by government, he noted that agriculture is the backbone of the country`s economic growth, poverty reduction and it employs approximately 65% of the population which is engaged in various activities along the agricultural value chains including production, agro processing and value addition as well as marketing, which has made it the springboard for socio-economic transformation.

The minister said that to fast track this transformation agenda, his ministry (MAAIF) with technical assistance from the World Bank developed a six (6) year agriculture development project, and its main objective is to raise on-farm productivity, production and marketable surplus of five priority commodities i.e. maize, beans, rice, cassava and coffee.

Ssempijja said the project will be implemented in 12 clusters covering 42 districts drawn from all over Uganda except Karamoja which has a special intervention under the resilience project. “I am happy to share that Iganga has in fact been selected as one of our five pilot districts to begin with. In Busoga sub-region, this project will cover the districts of Iganga, Namutumba and Bugiri” he added.

ACDP activities will be delivered through four components;

-Support intensification of on-farm production. Here the ministry will provide inputs in form of seeds, fertilizers, pest control chemicals and postharvest handling materials through the input subsidy program.

-Preparation for agricultural water management investment. In this component, farmers will be supported with modern irrigation facilities, be supported with the development of soil and water conservation plans.

Market linkages, storage and value addition. This way, a farmer will be able to access matching grants to area commodity enterprises. Cooperatives and private sector players will be assisted to improve their capacity for marketing and postharvest handling of farm produce.

-Project management, policy, regulatory and ICT functions where MAAIF will work to ensure effective management and coordination of this project by strengthening the ministry`s effectiveness to carry out its roles with respect to policy and regulations affecting agricultural input and output markets.

Ends .