The government of Uganda has been urged to put in more support in rural agriculture in order to eradicate poverty among the rural communities and Uganda as a whole. The councilor L. C III; Hon: Ojera J. B of Pabo Sub-County, Amuru District made this statement while addressing Pabo Communities on government programs at the Sub-County Headquarter on 20^th March 2012.

In a meeting attended by over 70 members of Pabo Sub-County communities, Ojera noted that agriculture is one of the four economic pillars in Uganda and its importance as a priority area on a country’s development agenda and poverty reduction remains unquestionable. Ojera also added that agricultural sector is drivers for change in any community settings, however he astonished that in Uganda this pillar of economic development is given little attention by government fashioning the sector with insufficient modern and attractive image to give rural people a positive view of it.  He added that the sector has a reputation of offering nothing but back-breaking activities which generate little income among rural households.

Ojera disclosed that despite the fact that Uganda government has initiated many programs that target rural development with the aim to alleviate increased poverty in the rural areas and the country as a whole citing National Agriculture Advisory Services (NAADS), the influence of these pro rural government programs in the country poverty eradication agenda under the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) has not yet been realized because of lack of information gap between the local authorities and the communities who are the target beneficiaries.

Ojera noted that restoring credibility to agriculture as a career, making rural areas attractive, taking into account the needs and wishes of this sector of the population are some of the challenges that need to be addressed if rural communities are to remain in the countryside for sustainability in agricultural production and perhaps would help the government to eradicate poverty among the rural communities and Uganda generally.

He also called for a change in perception about those engage in agriculture rural people being majority. He added that the poor image of person involved in agriculture, especially in the rural communities needs to be changed and the women are the ideal catalyst for such a change given their greater propensity and willingness to adopt to new ideas, concept and technology which are all for changing the way agriculture is practiced and perceived.

Hon: Ojera concluded that potential projects to encourage rural population to become involved in agriculture include more programs directed at rural people should be supported, introduction of user friendly farming technologies in the rural areas to increase productivity and profitability, promotion of farming as a business, disseminating information about the opportunities through sensitization programs and the establishment of an agriculture development fund to provide financial support to rural agricultural entrepreneurs need to be considered, storage space and marketing are further key issue for rural motivation in agriculture; this he said will strengthen Uganda’s effort  in poverty eradication.

Compiled by:

Egwel Gilbert

WOUGNET Project Officer – Amuru/Gulu Project