According to the government’s own scorecard for this ending Financial Year 2016/2017, the Agricultural Sector did not perform better either. “Growth in Agriculture outputs load to 3.1% 1.3% this year compared to 2.8% in the previous year. The main reason being the unusually prolonged drought.” Said, Matia Kasaija, Minister for Finance and Planning. That challenge apart, Charles Otim a former clerical officer with a farm in the city opted to retreat back to his country home in Otuke district using 15 acres of Ancestral land is now into farming of such high-value crops.
Why did you choose sorghum and sunflower? “Because of money, this thing is because of project money if you dig this you get money. The sunflower is physical money, if you get it inside you cannot eat until you sell it and you buy another one but this one you can eat.” Said, Charles Otim, a Smallscale farmer, Otuke district. But this nature of crops under cultivation aside, the visible success has more to do with the quality of inputs such as seeds. “We have farmers here, they are in groups, we train them how to plant it, how to weed it even how to harvest.” Said, Basil Apunyo, Extension Worker, Oyam district.
Now proper extension services to such farming communities starting to value chain could enhance agricultural productivity and output by way of incomes knocking 20% according to a new study authored by the World Bank. “... and improving the quality of our market, making sure that the certification of employers from that farm... Secondly, is addressing some of the credit issues.... And finally, we also see that having improved extension services, improved training of farmers in the best way to apply inputs, to apply modern techniques so as to increase production that way. We see that when that is provided it really helps.” Said DR. Ruth Hill, Senior Economist, World Bank Group. But further still, virtually all disputes within the Northern Frontier do offer wide opportunities for large and arable tracks of land that can stimulate commercial agriculture.
