As the International Women’s Day is celebrated on Wednesday, a lot has been done to improve economic status of the women in Uganda and Local Government Ministry has been keen on this.

Women, no doubt are the backbone of family, society and Economy. The Government of Uganda has put in place interventions to benefit both Women and men in order to eliminate women discrimination in the farming sector.

Large scale farming is one area where women have thrived well across the country.

The Ministry of Local Government has supported different Cooperatives and societies under the different projects being funded by Government of Uganda. 

Tea

Jane Musiguzi is a successful farmer in Kyejonjo District who is a member in Mabale Cooperative factory. In 2020, the Ministry of Local Government partnered with Kyenjojo District Local Government and Mabale Tea Growers Cooperative to revive the Fertilizer Scheme at Mabale Tea Factor.

The Ministry, under the LEGS Project provided 315 metric tons of NPK 26:5:5 Fertilizers and Ms Musinguzi was a beneficiary. The application of fertilizers to the monoculture plant increased production of the green leaf thus increasing the yield and income.

 The farmers were able to produce 12 million kgs of green leaf compared to the past years where they only produced 7million kgs. The increase of green leaf directly impacted on the prices of tea from 0.7 dollars to 1.42 dollar in 2020.

Coffee

The growing of coffee has boosted income that has enabled education, health care and development in homes modern. Coffee has become the leading export in the country over the years. Over 1.8 million households in 114 districts grow coffee as a source of income.

Bunyangabu coffee farmers have the reason to smile after Government through the LEGs project started the construction of a value chain processing plant in Gatyanga Village Rwimi Town council.

Ms. Masika Esitajona from Gatyanga Village who is a member of Gatyanga- Nyabwina Coffee Farmer’s Co-operative Society the direct beneficiaries of the facility has a reason to smile.

She says the farmers are selling their coffee in Kasese District at shs.7000. She hopes that once the facility is completed the farmers will sell their coffee as high as shs.10000 per kg.

Oil Seeds

The Ministry of Local Government under NOSP is to construct 2,500km of Community Access Roads (CARS) in the selected 81 districts with high production of Oilseeds.

National Oilseed project is benefiting subsistence smallholder farmers, 60% women, 40% men and youth growing oilseeds. One of the farmers Irene (not real name) owns a ten acre sun flower garden in Agago District. Growing oilseeds has enabled her to take care of her household. By Uwamaria Joan, PR Assistant