By Obbo Yusuf – obboyusuf43@gmail.com –
Over 500 families in Busoga sub region are to receive the donation of Heifer cows from president KagutaMuseveni in a bid to fight poverty among the people of the region. The launch of the distribution has been led by Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Robinah Nabbanja and area Members of Parliament at Iganga at DLG headquarters on Thursday.
While delivering the president’s donation to Busoga Mps, the Prime Minister Nabbanja lauded the beneficiaries to use the cows to change their lives.
“President wants to use Diary farming to change the status of Busoga. This has been tasted and it works ,Busoga has been dominated by poverty as a result of concentrating on sugar cane growing and forgot much more productive farming ,given that Busoga was once a cattle corridor hence president museveni has adopted dairy farming to assist Busoga beneficiaries to change lives”
Babirye Zauja a resident of Iganga Municipality, one of the beneficiaries of the donation, thanked president Museveni for donating to her a pregnant heifer cow which she will use to transform her life “am among the lucky ones who have received the donatio,I thank my president for this gift ,I have great hope that I will manage to multiple and use the cow to transform my life” Zauja said
The state minister for Agriculture and Mp Kigulu north hon Bwino kyakulaga told the general public that president Museveni instructed his ministry to mobilize resources with guidance from NAADS and procure 500 high breed heifer cowers to support Busoga people with intentions of transforming lives of the people of Busoga, this came to president’s notice when he visited Mayuge in 2022 and was surprised by overwhelming poverty.
The overwhelming poverty in Busoga ,forced president Museveni to have closed door meeting with Mps from Busoga to discuss mechanisms of ending poverty in the region ,the president reminded Mps that in early 90s some of the Busoga districts that include Kamuli, Buyende and Kaliro were in the cattle corridor but was latter dominated by the influx of sugar cane growing which attracted much poverty after natives abandoned productive farming .
The Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja has urged district extension worker and Agricultural officials to be of much help in supporting the beneficiaries on the basic alternatives applied in dairy farming to avoid losses and death of animals as for them to benefit in the program.
Hajji Abubaker Walubi ,Iganga’s Nrm chairperson has warned beneficiaries against selling the animals ,noting that the Rdc’s and Diso office shall monitor every beneficiary to check on success of the presidential donation .
“Don’t think of selling that cow given to you, the president has reached out to over 500 families with high breed pregnant heifer cows with intentions of assisting you fight poverty, not by selling it but to look after it and multiply therefore, having lives change.”
Experts at NAADs secretariat have informed trusted news Uganda that, the government has selected the best breed that can sustain all conditions and if fed well, the animal can give you 8-9 litres of milk a day standard leaving some for the calf, and therefore it is a great opportunity for the people of Busoga.
The distribution that has been Led by PM Nabanja has been done equally to all districts of Busoga each constituency Mp receiving 10 cows for his/her selected people for rural and urban setting.
