By THE INDEPENDENT UG
Alebtong, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Alebtong District Local Government has recently received 18 additional tractors as part of a government initiative to transition from subsistence to commercial farming.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industries, and Fisheries initiated the distribution of hand-held tractors and other agricultural implements in the district in November last year. The program was initially piloted in the eight sub-counties of Abako, Amugo, Omoro, Angetta, Adwir, Awei, Amugu, and Amugu Town Council, each receiving a tractor.
Following this pilot phase, the ministry has delivered an additional 14 hand-held tractors. These will be distributed to all ten sub-counties and four town councils in the district. Additionally, the ministry provided four-wheeled tractors to the Amugo Agro Technical Institute.
Samuel Baramaga Mujunga, the Principal of the Institute, expressed optimism that the equipment would facilitate agricultural production at the school. He also mentioned that the same equipment would be made available for farming by interested community members.
Ajuri County MP Denis Hamson Obua emphasized that the initiative aims to shift farmers from subsistence farming to commercial agriculture. Tractors are considered a desirable means for farmers to till large areas of land and generate a substantial profit. However, the high cost of tractors often hinders the aspirations of smallholder farmers.
David Kennedy Odongo, the Alebtong District chairperson, believes that the introduction of tractors will boost production in an area that previously struggled due to poor farming methods. However, he called for the government to provide more equipment to support the implementation of the four-hectare model.
Alebtong Resident District Commissioner Gillian Akullo issued a warning against the misuse of the tractors, stating that offenders would face legal consequences.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), 80 percent of Uganda’s land is arable, but only 35 percent is currently under cultivation. Despite this potential, agriculture accounted for only about 24 percent of GDP and 35 percent of export earnings in the 2022/23 fiscal year.
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