Dear Godfrey,
This is very interesting that you are willing to give advice to our community for this kind of enterprises, I had already started a private discussion with a person in Canada & others about mobilizing ourselves into commercially viable farmer groups since most of us are small holder farmers and she was very excited about the idea, I further talked to a leading NGO in the region and shared a model I was promoting - right from enterprise planning through production to post-harvest handling, value addition - they too are keen. These groups are there and fairly aware of many things but just need a little more knowledge and skills. What I note is that the interest is there but how to motivate each other to move to the next step is the matter, so if we can form an Agricultural interest groups, just like the others and dive deeper into the issues involved and organize a sensitization workshop where you - Godfrey - can share more, there is a lot of opportunities for agriculture. There also a lot of linkages for cost effective processing and packaging tools. The key here - if you are small - is collaboration. I have seen people grow big in less than 5 years in Lango, Teso and many other paces . I will soon be meeting a group at Ochoko, near Kuluva to start a pilot on organized commercial farming, may be this can grow into something worthwhile for replication. Richard From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Mundua, Godfrey Sent: Thursday, November 01, 2012 4:56 PM To: A Virtual Network for friends of West Nile Subject: Re: [WestNileNet] Cotton Industry coming back Dear Caleb, Thank you for this piece, currently there are a number of alternative cash crops that the people of West Nile should get interested in. Cotton is good but the price is highly volatile and many times farmers get frustrated when they get low prices after putting all their effort in growing cotton and this has affected the production over the years. I have been involved in financing most of the large ginners for a long time and I have a fair knowledge of the industry. Any one interested in this ventire, please come and we talk. There are also other cash crops like the oilseeds (simsim, soyabeans and sunflower) that can do well in West Nile. We actually have a competitive edge over other regions in these commodities and if planned properly, these crops can fetch more money than tobacco. The Lango sub region grows a lot of sunflower and every year, the farmers get over 40bn shillings from the crop. The likes of Mukwano, Mount millers and Nile Agro Industries all have set up Industries in this place to buy the oil seeds. West Nile may not have large anchor customers that can have the offtake arrangement to buy the produce but that The Acholi region is moving big time into farming and they have an advantage having large chunks of land that can enable them practice extensive mechanized farming. They will be able to sell to the breweries and this can van be replicated in Westnile. Regards Godfrey _____ From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Caleb Alaka Sent: Thursday, November 01, 2012 9:14 AM To: Sam Aderubo; A Virtual Network for friends ofWest Nile Cc: A Virtual Network for friends of West Nile Subject: Re: [WestNileNet] Cotton Industry coming back I grew up seeing people growing cotton on small scale and it used to assist the less fortunate Teregians as we call ourselves as mattresses. Most of my tribes mates from Terego would come to Senior one when they are fathers (Pun intended). Any way , Acholis today are undertaking large commercial farming using combine harvesters and tractors. I saw a story in the new vision some time ago (may be The Monitor) where former IDP dwellers who used to depend on WFP were now supplying WFP. May be our issues are not about how lucrative cotton or tobacco may be but rather, the scale with which we undertake ventures. Do we even have land or capacity to grow meaningful cotton? We used to have cottage industries were ladies used to make sweaters and crochets do we still have capacity. Are there other things we can do targeting the Sudan and Congo markets to kick out poverty. I am just thinking loudly. Good day Sent from my iPhone On Nov 1, 2012, at 1:57 AM, Sam Aderubo <[email protected]> wrote: John, Cotton,cotton and cotton.Or if we please, tobacco, tobacco and tobacco. So? Kindly attempt growing this golden crop one season and tell me your side of the story.Is the problem a piece of land in the belt?, I can rent you a few acres of land for the purpose, if you wish. It is all business, isn''t it? Just look at Francis Kagolo's analysis, from cotton and you end up with cocoa. Fine, let's get going. From: JohnAJackson <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Wednesday, October 31, 2012 10:13 PM Subject: [WestNileNet] Cotton Industry coming back Dear brothers and sisters, I hope this information finds you in good health. Food for thought. Sometime last year, we had brief discussion to find ways and means of reviving cotton in what used to be cotton growing belt in West Nile ( Moyo, Adjumani and Nebbi districts). In that conversation, I did state the significance of reviving cotton industry in the region which could generate several hundred job if we rehabilitate the Ginning Factories. If you have not read this, please read for yourself why it is so important for public policy advisers (economic planners) from the WN region to pay attention some fundamental economic problems in the region. Look at what happens else where in Uganda. ( http://www.newvision.co.ug/news/636918-cotton-industry-recovers-production-d oubles.html). _______________________________________________ WestNileNet mailing list [email protected] http://orion.kym.net/mailman/listinfo/westnilenet WestNileNet is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/ The above comments and data are owned by whoever posted them (including attachments if any). The List's Host is not responsible for them in any way. _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ WestNileNet mailing list [email protected] http://orion.kym.net/mailman/listinfo/westnilenet WestNileNet is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/ The above comments and data are owned by whoever posted them (including attachments if any). The List's Host is not responsible for them in any way. _______________________________________________ This email and any attachments are confidential and may also be privileged. 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