Alebtong co-operative gets village supermarket

Alebtong Kica Arwot Farmers’ co-operative in Alebtong Town Council has lauded the Government for the establishment of the farmers' village supermarket.

The co-operative says the supermarket will serve as a bulking centre, market linkages and agro-quality inputs.

The facility launched on Thursday by agriculture state minister Fred Bwino Kyakulaga at the town council, will also offer services such as technology demonstration, training and storage.

Co-operative chairperson Isaac Okwir said the district had been ranked among the worst in the poverty and they thought as farmers there was a need to come together and face the challenges head-on.

“While in terms of soil fertility, we have vast land that accepts all aspects of crops and with support from the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO) and other partners, we have been motivated to undertake oil seeds such as soybean and sunflower as our major products,” he said.

He added that through mid-north farmers’ investment hub, they were able to sustain over 40 farmer groups and linked up with other cooperatives to train farmers on commercial agriculture.

He requested the Government to offer them tractors to increase production, provide maize threshing machines and means of transport.

District LC5 chairperson David Kennedy Odongo advised the co-operative to produce quality products and add value to it such that it creates employment and attracts a better market.

He added that people have been complaining that there is no market for the produce, but the market is everywhere and the problem is that people need to produce quality products which attract market.

Christine Acen Ayo, a member of the co-operative, said the facility has a capacity of 550 metric tonnes of produce and members were happy with the development.

She said middlemen and traders from as far as Kenya used to cheat farmers by buying their products at a giveaway price but with the establishment of the facility it has stopped.

Minister Kyakulaga said as leaders, although they belong to different political parties, they have three enemies which are poverty, ignorance and hunger.

He said bringing the hub to the farmers is a clear indication that the Government cares and listens to its people and they should continue supporting it so that more development comes to them.