Tractors to boost crop production by IDPs in the north

The Ugandan government on Thursday unveiled a new programme it said would give priority to food security and increased incomes for families displaced by the 18-year old conflict between the army and rebels in the north of the country. Presenting a budget speech to parliament, Finance Minister Gerald Ssendaula said the programme included deployment of 40 tractors to help cotton farmers under a scheme obliging cotton ginners to open up land for internally displaced persons (IDPs) living in the camps, enabling them to produce food crops and grow cotton on contract for income purposes. "The government is concerned about the plight of the people of the north and northeast living in the internally displaced persons' camps," Ssendaula said. "While the restoration of peace is being addressed, there is urgent need to improve the welfare of these people." "Under this programme, 40 tractors have been procured. For the efficient management of the scheme, these tractors will be operated through participating cotton ginners under a subsidised leasing scheme, managed by the Cotton Development Organisation," Ssendaula said. Northern Uganda used to be a major cotton-growing area, before conflict disrupted farming patterns. Ssendaula added that the scheme was also intended to help IDPs to produce food crops such as millet, maize and beans. "The details for the operationalisation of the scheme will be discussed with the leaderships of the districts concerned," the minister said. Nearly all the districts in northern and eastern Uganda have been affected by the conflict between government forces and rebels of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA). These include Adjumani, Apac, Gulu, Katakwi, Kitgum, Lira, Pader and Soroti. At least 1.6 million people have been displaced across the region, while thousands of children have been abducted by the rebels to forcibly join their ranks, work as porters or as sex slaves. Ssendaula said another US $100 million was being spent to address the critical needs of people and to stimulate production in the north. "Government will continue to deliver other critical services through the district programmes," he told the parliament. The minister said the Ugandan economy was projected to attain a growth rate of 6 percent by June, when the current financial year winds up, compared to the 5.2 percent recorded last year, although this was far below the targeted rate of growth of 7 percent. However, total government expenditure in 2005 would rise by 7.8 percent to Ushs 3.4 billion (about $1.88 billion). The Vice President, Gilbert Bukenya, told the parliament after the budget speech that the government would also pay school fees for students in public secondary schools whose parents live in IDP camps.