The official groundbreaking ceremony for Multipurpose Agricultural Cooperatives in Uganda was organized by Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA) in collaboration with the District and Local Communities on May 29, 2023. This marked the official start of the construction of one of the two One Stop Center Associations (OSCAs) in the northeastern districts of Uganda (Kole and Napak) under the project titled "Revitalization and Digitalization of Multipurpose Agricultural Cooperatives (OSCAs) in Uganda" with funding from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Japan.

Partners, like the World Food Program (WFP) and District local government officials including Resident District Commissioner (RDC) and Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) gathered to witness the groundbreaking ceremony which was officiated by the RDO, Mr. Okori Dennis. It is to be noted that SAA is also implementing the Agriculture and Market Support Program (AMS) in the Karamoja region on commission from the WFP to support the organization and capacity building of farmers associations.

The 2 OCSAs will be located in Omuge sub-county, Bala County, Kole District, Lango Region and Apeitolim sub-county, Lokopo County, Napak District, Karamoja Region. The centers will have a bulking store, an office, an irrigation facility, an Agro-Input shop, a maize mill, a maize huller, a generator, and a 1-acre plot for vegetable production to promote market-oriented agriculture. Once fully operational, the two OSCAs will raise the profitability of agriculture contributing to reducing rural poverty and enhancing food security.
 

A group photo during the groundbreaking ceremony

According to Mr. Ande Okiror, Programme Coordinator (MOA), SAA intends to support up to 35,000 farmers in the two regions through this project, with a key focus on training farmers how to engage in farming as a business and post-harvest processing to minimize losses as well as enhancing employment opportunities for youth, women and PwDs in the region.

SAA’s DCD, Mr Joseph Pascal Bbemba Deputy Country Director (DCD) stated “The two OSCAs will contribute to agricultural development in these districts.” This will provide farmers with the tools, knowledge, and services they need to improve their productivity and profitability. “We are proud to collaborate with the MOFA-Japan on this key initiative for agriculture and we thank the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan Embassy, and WFP for its support. Together, we are working towards the transformation of the agricultural sector in Lango and Karamoja regions, with a focus on sustainability, innovation, and farmer empowerment.”

Joseph  Bbemba, Deputy Country Director (DCD) making his remarks.​​​​​​

Mr. Bbemba also mentioned that the irrigation equipment at the centers would play a key role in vegetable production throughout the year, even during the dry season. He also underlined the facilities would assist farmers in properly storing their produce and shorten the distance they currently have to trek to the closest milling machine. “We are doing this to enable farmers to bulk their produce, the centers will have a milling station, and this will help farmers avoid walking more than 20 kilometers to grind their maize.”

A farmer and leader of a farmers' organization with 1,027 farmers in Napak district, Natalina Moddo, expressed appreciation for the storage facility provided by the new project which will accommodate over 600 metric tons of grain. “Our food will be safe for us to keep. Farmers will be shielded from the insecurity in this area, where their harvest can get them killed.” She further explained that their primary source of revenue comes from bulking up crops to sell out to organizations. She continued by saying that storage has been their biggest problem.

The CAO, Mr. Jackson Byarunga recognized SAA for the initiative and drew attention to the Napak district's soil problems, indicating the existence of infertile areas that cannot support crop production, such an intervention will contribute to agricultural development. He added that the facility will have an influence on how oil roads are allocated in the area.

The two OSCAs serve as tangible demonstrations of SAA's commitment to contributing to the sustainable development of agriculture in one of the poorest regions and supporting the efforts of the Ugandan government to modernize agricultural value chains through such initiatives.