Hope For Adjumani Farmers As Solar Experts Extend Water Pumps
More than 80% of the Adjumani people are engaged in peasant farming as the main economic activity but the majority of the farmers still use rudimentary methods of farming with minimum modern technology, a practice that is highly affecting crop productivity in the region.
UGANDA - Adjumani District was created on the 17th of May 1997, when Moyo District was split into two, the eastern part of Moyo District was renamed Adjumani District after the development of a largest town known as Adjumani.
Adjumani, is found in the north-eastern region of Uganda and is bordered by Moyo District in the north, Arua and Yumbe in the west, and Amuru District in the south and east.
More than 80% of the Adjumani people are engaged in peasant farming as the main economic activity but the majority of the farmers still use rudimentary methods of farming with minimum modern technology, a practice that is highly affecting crop productivity in the region.
Despite the presence of the Nile river in the area, farmers have not been able to potentially and fully exploit the Nile waters in relation to farming advantages.
It is upon this background that solar companies such as Omia Agribusiness Development Group Limited in partnership with Ayuda en Accion, global nonprofit organization committed at creating a financially inclusive world, with a trailblazing legacy in microfinance and fintech impact investing have embraced to reached an agreement through signing a memorandum of understanding aimed at promoting agriculture and extending modern methods of farming to Adjumani farmers, a project focused at providing affordable water pumps in the region.
The project's main objective is to contribute to bridge the monetary poverty gap of refugees’ settlements and host communities in Adjumani.
On Monday in kampala, under their umbrella body of Uganda Solar Energy Association (USEA) the two committed to enhance agriculture in Adjumani based on reaserched findings of the region that differ from other regions.
The Senior Energy and Marketing Manager Ayuda en Accion Uganda, Cyiza Pauline, informed journalists that the project is running for ten months starting from March to December and it is one of a kind on renewable energy, a project that calls for productive use of renewable energy and mainly focuses on production in agriculture hence being piloted in Adjumani district.
"For the first time Ayuda en Accion is partnering with a private company Omia , and Ayuda en Accion is the overall facilitator of the project activities aimed at easing accessibility and usage of solar water pumps in the district, thereby drawing more farmers to adopt to the new mechanisms of farming." She indicated.
Besides provision of the water pumps, Omia Agribusiness Development Limited Uganda goes extra mile to ensure that farmers have ready markets for their agricultural output after harvesting, Iganachi Razaki Omia, the Chief Executive Officer Omia Agribusiness Development Limited Uganda described.
"The project is to ensure that farmers make produce throughout the year with use of the water pumps despite of the changing seasons, in Adjumani the rain seasons start late like around April with also limited numbers of the raining days"
Razaki included, Omia Agribusiness Development Group Limited shall also take on the task of educating and training farmers to get them to know the solar water pumps, installation and repair of solar water pumps and later market linkages.
Farmers in Adjumani shall be able to access the solar water pumps through outlets and village agents, however the project targets 100 solar water pumps to be sold to farmers in the beginning at a discount particularly to attract more farmers as they internalize the values of the solar water pumps, he noted.
