The
Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, Vincent Bamulangaki
Ssempijja says Government is soon phasing out distribution of free seedlings to
farmers.
This was during a two- day visit to farmers in Nebbi and Pakwach Districts in
West-Nile under the Agriculture Cluster Development Project (ACDP) arrangement.
He told farmers that Government started ACDP project to prepare them in getting
away from free things into business-minded farmers
like it is in other countries.
“We are being accused by Development Partners that
we give-out free things to farmers. This is because for them they take
agriculture as a business. That is why we came-up with this project,” Ssempijja
said.
Under ACDP, a farmer who is joining the project for
the first time gets 70% in the first season from Government, the second season
Government pays for him/her 30% of the inputs because it assumes he will have
gained some financial muscle to become independent.
ACDP is a government of Uganda Project implemented
by the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries in 42 districts
across the Country.
It is a 6- year
Project implemented with support from International Development Association
(IDA) of the World Bank focusing on 5 priority commodities (Maize, Rice, Beans,
Coffee, and Cassava)
The Overall objective of the Project is to provide
farmers in the clusters with subsidized farm inputs, improved agricultural
infrastructure, post-harvest handling technologies and more competitive prices
for inputs and outputs.
