By Benjamin Epeduno
KATAKWI
Soroti catholic diocese integrated development organisation (SOCADIDO) has received funding to the tune of Shs7billion that it is injecting in the Teso Smallholder farmers.
This was revealed yesterday 27th April, 2022 by the programs coordinator for SOCADIDO, Ben Botham Okiror during a one-day district technical working group meeting with the district team in Katakwi district. The meeting was aimed at equipping the selected small scale farmers with enterprises.
SOCADIDO with support from Sign of hope and the German Federal Ministry for Economic cooperation and Development entered a partnership to implement a project titled “Establishment and institutionalisation of a multi-Actor Partnership platform to improve agribusiness for economic viability and improved living standards for smallholder farmers in Teso sub-region in Eastern Uganda.”
The Teso multi-Actor Partnership platform has been named as Ateker Development foundation.
The programs coordinator for SOCADIDO, Ben Botham Okiror said that, the project was earmarked in January 2021 and expected to end in February 2025.
Okiror noted that, the Districts that will benefit from the 7billion project are; Kapelebyong, Katakwi, Soroti, Ngora, Kaberemaido and Soroti City.
According to the report, 24 actors have been mobilised and engaged in the project selected from civil society, private sector, research and academic institutions, farmer associations/farmer groups, the district local governments and media agencies.
Okiror also said the partnership project is targeting 3,000 household beneficiaries totalling to 21,830 direct beneficiaries and 64,800 indirect beneficiaries from the six projects.
Meanwhile, the District coordinator for SOCADIDO Katakwi, Richard Pius Okiria said yesterday’s meeting was also to share the appraisal report, constitute a technical group and share the work plan for the project that will be implemented in Magoro and Getom sub counties in Katakwi district.
Okiria said that, the project will be emphasising 300 smallholder farmers to grow, cassava, groundnuts and green grams in the sub counties selected.
The vice chairman for Katakwi District, Hon. Joseph Ecuman advised the NGO’s operating in Teso to identify the key problems affecting the common person and also create room to involve the political leaders in their programs.
Ecuman said, poverty is the “Elephant” that year in and out attacks the people of Teso and it must be fought through supplying the small holder farmers with good inputs.
