Summary:
- George William Tukei, Soroti City Commercial Officer, highlighted that despite their efforts to produce commercially, farmers still struggle with market access.
SOROTI: To boost collective marketing of produce and eliminate middlemen, farmers in the Teso sub-region have been trained to form marketing associations.
The training, organized by the Soroti Catholic Diocese Integrated Development Organization (SOCADIDO) and the Ateker Development Forum (ADEFO), a local non-governmental organization, was recently held at Eneku Village Enterprise in Soroti City.
In an interview, Daniel Akudo, Project Coordinator at SOCADIDO, shared that 40 farmers from various districts in Teso participated in the training under a project run by the Ateker Development Foundation.
Akudo noted that they aim to reach 500,000 vulnerable individuals in Teso communities by 2026.
“We want to form these marketing associations so that farmers can gain the knowledge to market their own produce without involving middlemen,” Akudo stated.
He explained that once these associations are established, farmers will be able to set up bulking centers to facilitate the collective marketing of their produce.
George William Tukei, Soroti City Commercial Officer, highlighted that despite their efforts to produce commercially, farmers still struggle with market access.
“Farmers are producing for both consumption and sale, but market access remains a significant dilemma,” he said.
Tukei emphasized that the training covered various aspects of management, finances, leadership, membership, and administrative structures to help farmers improve their incomes and sustain their livelihoods.
“Through these marketing associations, farmers will be able to eliminate middlemen who cheat them,” Tukei added.
Peter Enguriat, a participant advised farmers to work together and avoid cliques that cause misunderstandings.
He also encouraged the formation of Savings and Credit Cooperative Organizations (SACCOs) to enable farmers to save and obtain loans.
Ben Boham Okiror, Project Coordinator at ADEFO and SOCADIDO, stressed the importance of training farmers, stating that it enhances their knowledge and use of improved dairy farming practices, increases dairy production and revenues, and overall improves farmers’ productivity and earnings.
Okiror confirmed that SOCADIDO is committed to improving nutrition, increasing agricultural productivity, raising the standard of living in rural populations, and contributing to global economic growth by organizing such training for farmers.
