Gen Ali commissions 270 acre refugee-run farm in Adjumani

The Second Deputy Prime Minister Gen Moses Ali has hailed the South Sudan refugees and the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) for their role in fighting food insecurity in the Madi sub-region.

Gen. Ali also hailed the progressive refugee policies which he said have enabled Ugandans to coexist with nationals from the neighboring countries.

“In November 2020 when I came here, none of us didn’t believe that we could harvest the 64 metric tons of maize and the same quantity of beans,.This is a big achievement which must be recognized and credited to UNHCR and the refugees,” Gen Ali said on Thursday afternoon while launching the 270-acre refugee-run Mungula farm located at Aliwara village in Itirikwa Sub County, Adjumani District.

“I appeal to all the stakeholders to focus on the long term plans for the farm by going into private partnership engagement for management of the daily affairs of the farm as well as looking for alternative funding and expanding the project to other sub counties,” he added. 

In 2016, Uganda offered to pilot the comprehensive refugee response framework (CRRF) with the objective of supporting government policy and protecting asylum space, support resilience and self-reliance of refugees and host communities.

In November 2020, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) launched Uganda’s first commercial farm for refugees and host communities at Aliwara Village. 

This followed a memorandum of understanding between the refugees and host communities last June in which they agreed to engage in commercial maize production for seven years on the 2,000 acre piece of land. 

South Sudan refugees in Adjumani District recently embarked on commercial maize and beans production and have so far reaped 64 metric tons of maize and the same quantity of beans from their first harvest. 

There are approximately 236,000 refugees settled in 19 facilities spread across Adjumani, according to UNHCR.  

At the time of launching the farm on Thursday, a separate warehouse stocked with maize grains had been set up while refugees and members of the host community harvested and processed beans. 

Ms Felicitas Nebril, the head of the UNHCR Sub-office for Adjumani District, said they supported the partnership to establish the farm in order to increase food security and household income among refugees and host communities. 

“The harvest of today is indeed an impressive result. It demonstrates that we can make a difference in the lives of the refugees and host communities. Let us continue to do and produce more and to inspire others into joining the initiative,” she said.

“This innovative public-private partnership is a ground-breaking initiative that we already see as addressing the food and income insecurity of the refugees and also the host communities. It is also enhancing peaceful coexistence,” she said. 

Titus Jogo, the Refugee Desk Officer for Adjumani said that the partnership model and the farm success has significantly enhanced farming as well as give a chance to the refugees to become self-reliant.

 “It is not just about planting the crops and harvesting it, we have achieved a great deal of harmonious coexistence among ourselves as partners, refugees and host communities.

We are committed to take this model farm to higher levels,” Mr Jogo said. 

The district together with UNHCR plan to sell the maize and beans to either the local produce buyers supported by DRDIP or processors within the district. 

Upon selling, Mr Richard Edema, the acting CAO Adjumani said that the district projects to reap a gross revenue of Shs 120 Million from maize and Shs263.7million from the beans.