Africa-Press – Uganda. The chairperson of Uganda Episcopal Conference, also Kiyinda-Mityana Bishop Joseph Antony Zziwa has asked Ugandans to prioritise agriculture in the New Year, saying it will help them get money to help their families.
Bishop Zziwa expressed worry that some families, especially in the central region, are selling off their ancestral land, which they could instead use to engage in productive commercial agriculture.
“I sometimes talk to fresh graduates from universities and they tell me they are looking for jobs. Yes, it is good to look for jobs, but still, they can use the available land owned by their parents to generate income as they wait for the white-collar jobs. They [graduates] can keep animals such as cows or grow crops, including coffee, which can help them get out of poverty,” he said.
The prelate made the remarks while handing over 52 Frisian cows to residents of Kyenda Trading Centre in Mubende District on Monday.
The cows were donated by the Integrated Cow Programme through which Kiyinda–Mityana Diocese is supporting people in the diocese to fully engage in farming.
A survey dubbed ‘More Food, Less Money’ carried out between November 15 and November 27, 2018, by Sauti Za Wananchi, revealed that poverty levels among Ugandans had doubled.
The report singled out poverty as a major problem Ugandans are grappling with, with 29 percent of the population slipping below the poverty line in 2018, up from 14 percent in 2017.
The survey also found out that the high levels of unemployment in the country and the high cost of living made it difficult for many households to provide a daily meal. The researchers interviewed 1,905 people aged 18 and above and were picked from across the country.
Under this agricultural project, the bishop said people have a chance to improve their lives both socially and economically.
“When a good number of our people embrace this project and we get enough milk and coffee, we will go to the next step of adding value so that the beneficiaries can earn more money,” he said.
Since last year, a total of 258 cows have been donated to different beneficiaries in the parishes of Mirembe Maria, Rwanjiri (in Kassanda District) and the proposed Ssenkulu Catholic parish in Mubende District.
Bishop Zziwa advised the beneficiaries to always follow the advice of the veterinary officers so that they can safely keep the animals.
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