Karamoja: Give credit where it is due

The story titled “Karimojong leaders slam govt support for massive farming” in your Saturday Monitor of November 12, was largely a misrepresentation of current government efforts aimed at reducing Karamoja’s dependence on food handouts through the Food Security Action Plan.

First, the reporter stated that Karamoja leaders are unhappy with government spending money on promoting the crop sector which often fails due to unreliable rains and goes on to extensively quote his conversation with one Dr Panvuga, the District Veterinary Officer of Kotido. Tell me of any one leader (LC1 to LC5, RDC or MP) who holds that opinion? In March 2009, the MPs from Karamoja appealed to Ms Janet Kataha Museveni (pictured) to provide seeds and tools to people in Karamoja in order to maximise food production; Shs3.2 billion was found. In 2010, the same leaders asked for more support for opening of more land in the green wetter belt of the region, especially for the weak and vulnerable. All these efforts have been with the support of the leaders from the region within the context of the Food Security Action Plan, 2009.

Karamojong are agro-pastoralists; I don’t know of any household which has never had a garden – the 2002 census report states this clearly. As much as we would like more funding to be dedicated to the development of the livestock industry, especially through provision of improved breeds, animal healthcare, development of marketing infrastructure, and support to livestock traders, we need to give credit where it is due. Under the leadership of Janet Museveni, a number of important investments in the livestock as well as crop sub-sectors have been realised such as the building of more quality dams, vaccination of livestock, provision of oxen and ox-ploughs to youth groups, provision of seed and hand hoes to all households in the region, opening of more land for vulnerable households, etc. People are very appreciative of this support. For instance, over Shs10 billion has been spent in provision of water to the livestock sector through building of huge dams. What we need is a policy targeting pastoralist farming system to guide such investments.

A memo to the President submitted by the leaders of Karamoja, (MPs and LC5s of the region on April 8, 2011, expressed in detail the positive efforts extended by the government to the region in the area of livestock development, food production and improved security.

In the same memo, they pointed out issues that needed to be addressed in supporting the livestock industry in the region, including the strengthening of attendant security. An example is the 90,000 vials of animal drugs that the government bought and vaccinated animals across the region; farmers did not pay for that. Besides, the government sends over Shs7 billion to the region under the Naads programme every year and evidence available indicates that more than 60 per cent of the money is spent in buying livestock.

I would also like to take exception on the comments attributed to Dr Panvuga who I thought should be well versed with investments in the region and Kotido in particular. So, Dr Panvuga I think it is decenct to give credit where it is due.

Remigio Achia,
MP- Pian County and Secretary to Karamoja Parliamentary Group