In the Financial Year 2020/2021, government provided a capitalization to Uganda Development Cooperation worth Shs130 billion to be invested in agro processing factories in every sub-region in Uganda to process locally produced material in line with the government’s plan to empower farmers to earn more from their sweat.
Prior to this government through UDC had completed a Shs20 billion mango fruit factory at Londonga in Yumbe District. Shs9 billion was put aside for working capital and processing at the factory is expected to start the next mango season in 2021. It is projected that the factory will process 48 tons of fruits daily.
Besides the one in Yumbe, government has also set up another fruit factory in Arua which is yet to be operationalized with funding from UDC. Still through UDC, government s carrying out a feasibility study for the construction of a Tea Processing Factory in Zombo district. It is expected that the above factories will process fruits and tea in the West Nile region.
The factories are part of a bigger NRM government plan to extend resource to the Greater Nebbi that is comprised of 01 Municipality and four districts, namely; Nebbi, Zombo, Pakwach and Madi-Okollo.
Government has over the last five years invested in development programmes that are targeting at empowering the people of Nebbi and Uganda at large to fight poverty. Among the programmes initiated are the capitalization through the Uganda Development Bank, where Shs1 trillion was invested in this Financial Year (2020/21). Before this, UDB had been capitalized by close to Shs400 billion. This fund is supposed to address the high cost of money the commercial banks charge. This fund will be accessed by those investing in value addition, agriculture production, tourism and education infrastructure at an interest not more than 12 per cent. In Northern Uganda after Nusaf 1, II and III and PRDP I, II and III which focused mainly of social infrastructure, we are going to introduce PRDP 4 which will be focusing on household incomes on top of Operation Wealth Creation.
Across the country, Shs160 billion has been disbursed to various Youth Groups in the country under the Youth Livelihood Project (YLP). The four districts of greater Nebbi have received Shs3,975267,329 for the YLP for a total 556 projects. Shs699 million has been given out to 1,166 (645 male and 521 female) under 91 YLP projects in Madi Okollo. In Nebbi, Shs994 million has been disbursed to 2,020 youth (1,207 male and 813 female) under 148 YLP projects. In Nebbi MC, 32 YLP projects with 389 youth (233 male and 156 female) have received Shs254 million. In Obongi Shs330 million has been disbursed to 437 youth (250 male and 187 female) under 37 YLP programmes. While in Pakwach 97 projects have received Shs753 million for 1,276 youth (712 male and 564 female). In Zombo 151 YLP projects with 1,899 youth (1,103 male and 796 female) have received Shs972 million.
Government under State House is setting Youth Industrial Hubs in every sub region in Uganda. These will train the youth in various skills like carpentry, welding, mechanics, shoe making, tailoring, knitting, weaving etc.
This is in addition to the countrywide Emyooga Fund where 18 different activities are already being organized in every parish. Each myooga will get Shs30 million at constituency level while the one of the elected leaders will get Shs50 million. In total, each constituency will get Shs560 million.
Since inception of the Women Fund in Uganda, a total of 268 Projects worth Shs 1,619,411,941 billion have been financed in the four districts of Greater Nebbi. This is benefiting 3,609 women.
In the past four years, 83 projects have received Shs437 million for 1,197 women in Nebbi. In Nebbi Municipality Shs248 million was given out to 40 projects with a total 481 women. In Pakwach, 58 women projects with 787 beneficiaries have got Shs404 million and in Zombo Shs529 million was given out to 87 groups wit1,144 women.
Under the Social Assistance Grants for Empowerment (Sage) fund Nebbi and Pakwach Districts have so far paid 11,340 elderly totalling up to Shs32,424,580,590, while Zombo District has so far paid 8,881 elderly totalling up to Shs23,409,971,435.
