SOROTI
Soroti District Local government has procured cassava drying and processing machines to improve on value addition in the Agricultural sector.
The machine is quick in the process of making cassava flour, and increases the income to households in the district.
The three machines were procured in the previous Financial Year at the cost of Shs 186M through the Matching Grant Facility under the Agriculture Cluster Development Project [ACDP].
ACDP is a five-year government project initiated in 2018 to improve on-farm productivity, production, and volumes of selected agricultural commodities in specific geographical clusters of the country.
The Soroti district communication officer Mr Abraham Ekwaru said that farmer associations benefiting from the machines include the Community Link for Development Organization in Arapai, Amoru- Amoroto Multipurpose Cooperation in Awaliwal sub county, and Awoja Rural Produce Cooperation in Aukot sub county.
The district technical team inspected the machines at the district headquarters Yesterday and flagged them off to the respective benefiting farmer associations.
Soroti is one of the districts in the Eastern region known for cassava growing and the farmers have been relying on the open sun-drying system which would compromise the quality and required standards in the market.
Mr Ekwaru said with acquisition of these machines, the market price for dry cassava will significantly increase as the production of quality cassava flour will improve for the benefit of the farmers. Ends
