Members of Parliament have known as on authorities to enhance entry to electrical energy in rural areas throughout the nation to spice up value-addition within the agriculture sector.
They made the decision whereas debating a report by the Committee on Agriculture, Animal Business and Fisheries on the standing of implementation of the Agriculture Cluster Improvement Undertaking (ACDP), and a report on meals and animal feed safety interventions within the nation.
The undertaking aimed toward elevating on-farm productiveness and marketable volumes of chosen agricultural commodities in 12 specified agricultural clusters comprising 57 districts.
The stories have been adopted by the Home on Wednesday, 07 August 2024 throughout a session chaired by Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa.
Hon. George Bhoka (NRM, Obongi County) mentioned there may be want to increase electrical energy to rural communities at a time when the nation is decentralising manufacturing processing and worth addition to parish degree.
“This transfer is operating below the agricultural electrification programme and if we don’t handle it properly, we’re setting ourselves up for failure as a result of we’re producing however we’re failing so as to add worth because of lack of electrical energy,” mentioned Bhoka.
Kassanda District Girl Consultant, Hon. Flavia Nabagabe, mentioned there aren’t any transformers within the district to allow the operation of meals processing machines which beneficiaries acquired below the ACDP.
“Now we have two maize milling teams in Kassanda which have didn’t work as a result of their machines have been rendered redundant. Is there a method we are able to have a look at financing the transformers to avail the wanted electrical energy for these machines,” Nabagabe mentioned.
Hon. Julius Tusiime (Indep., Rwampara East County) famous that 179 factories have been arrange below the undertaking within the district however solely 86 of those have managed to entry electrical energy for manufacturing.
“That is an enchantment for the nation to hold out a multi-sectoral strategy the place we are able to combine all parts of manufacturing. In my constituency, I’ve a water undertaking which has didn’t take off as a result of it requires electrical energy to pump water uphill,” Tusiime famous.
Whereas presenting the report, the committee chairperson, Hon. Linda Auma additionally famous that transportation of agricultural merchandise was hampered by impassable roads as a result of absence of street chokes.
Highway chokes are non-tarmac roads that join farmers to markets.
“The committee noticed that every one street chokes have been both poorly constructed or suffered building delays. There was apparent lack of supervision, and there was inflation of the price of building of some street chokes which was not commensurate to the work executed,” Auma mentioned.
Hon. Solomon Chelangat (NRM, T’oo County) added that poor street infrastructure has affected the power of farmers in Bukwo District to get their produce to markets, but provisions have been made to enhance market entry roads.
The State Minister for Agriculture (Animal Husbandry), Hon. Brilliant Rwamirama, mentioned contractors took on tenders to assemble street chokes with out the monetary capability to take action.
“As a substitute of the contractor beginning with work on the choke, they begin with the simple a part of making the street and are given a certificates. So I supported my Everlasting Secretary that if the choke just isn’t executed, we don’t pay. This cash went again to the Treasury reasonably than being paid for air,” mentioned Rwamirama.
The minister additionally made an enchantment for employment of extra extension staff at native governments, and urged district leaders to observe their work.
The Minister for Native Authorities, Hon. Raphael Magyezi, attributed challenges confronted below the undertaking at district degree, to elements like late launch of funds.
The Home additionally adopted a movement by Hon. Elijah Mushemeza (Indep., Sheema County South) urging the Auditor Normal to hold out a forensic audit on the Agriculture Cluster Improvement Undertaking, and provides a report back to Parliament.
The six-year ACDP undertaking by the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Business and Fisheries was financed by a US$150 million mortgage from the World Financial institution by the Worldwide Improvement Help.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.