Tumwebaze tours Gulu cassava project, to deliver five tractors

MINISTER | TUMWEBAZE | CASSAVA PROJECT

GULU - The Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, Frank Tumwebaze, has visited the Gulu Cassava project and promised to deliver the five tractors pledged by President Yoweri Museveni.

“I am glad to learn that 33 cooperatives with 10,000 farmer members have been enrolled with active cassava plots. I will return soon to deliver five tractors pledged by the President,” Tumwebaze said while touring the project, Thursday (July 22). 

The project is being managed by the Catholic Church under the leadership of Gulu Archbishop, John Baptist Odama, and supported by government through the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS). 

Before travelling to Gulu through Lira, Tumwebaze first visited Soroti Fruit Factory in Soroti city where he promised to activate policies that will help the factory reach its full potential. 

The factory is renowned for making organic Teju orange and mango juice. 

In April this year, Gulu Archdiocese entered into a partnership with Bukona Processors Limited to industrialise the growth and production of cassava in Northern Uganda.

Archbishop Odama signed the deal on behalf of the Gulu Archdiocese while Pravin Kekhal, represented the Nwoya based Bukona factory at Cathedral Church in Bardege-Layibi division, Gulu City.

Under the deal, Gulu Archdiocese will grow and supply cassava to Bukona factory for the production of green fuel and ethanol. 

Odama said Gulu Archdiocese will supply tonnes of cassava to the factory through more than 6,900 farmers under the Acholi-bur parish project in the districts of; Gulu, Lamwo, Pader, Omoro and Nwoya.