At least 42000 youths from Acholi sub region have so far undergone different agribusiness training in different fields.
The trainings were orchestrated by the management of Gudi Leisure Farm led by its founder and managing director Prf Gudula Basaza.
“We are very excited seeing the work that they are doing in this region, seeing the transformation they are making and ensuring that they are all involved in an activity that keeps them busy and uses the opportunities they already have,” she said during a spotlight on A chili sub region which was held on Monday this week.
“We wanted to put a spotlight on these years such that people know what these youths are doing in their individual capacities. As a farm we promote what we call production by the masses because each one of them may be doing something small but because they are together they are able to create a massive production that makes economic sense,” she added
Land dispute
A section of legislators and other leaders from Acholi sub region, who attended the spotlight, linked the on-going Balaalo, locals land dispute on ignorance and existence of idle land.
Speaking during the Teso region spotlight at Gudie Leisure Farm (GLF) Kira yesterday, the leaders said that unless the knowledge gap is solved, the issue concerning land conflicts will not end in Acholi sub region.
“The Balalo come to Northern Uganda and buy big chunks of land on a low price, after taking advantage of the ignorance of the locals and afterwards it breeds conflicts,” Ms Judith Peace Achan the woman MP of Nwoya district said.
President Museveni on October 20, issued an executive order 3, where he ordered all Balaalo pastoralists to leave.
Ms Achan said this is difficult because “you cannot chase someone who legally bought the land.
“It is also very difficult to control people. We have been trying to tell people not to sell their land, to at least lease it out but they refuse only to come to us after losing it,” she said.
Mr Christopher Komakech the MP for Aluu County in Pader district said the so-called civilized and educated rich have chosen to steal from the vulnerable poor.
“And unless the youths take the mantle and make use of our land, these people will continue coming there and taking our land that is why youths should tap in opportunities like these to get agribusiness skills then develop their land after,” he said.
Mr. Jacob Ojok, Porongo LCV Councilor of Pronongo county blamed the land wrangles in the region to the ignorance where parents give their children land that is not registered which attracts conflicts.
“For example, your grandfather gives you land and when he passes on overtime you can’t claim back that land. So this has been a challenge.”
He noted that as a district, they have come up with a structure and enacted a Local Government Act cap 243 to have a land management committee straight from a sub-county to the district land board that addresses the issue of land.
Prof Gudula said that land is an important factor of production which should be fully utilised fully by youths.
“During the war, these were babies, they have now grown, some of them lost their parents, so they are starting. They are also starting to trust. When you think about farming, some of the things we farm are long-term. If I’m going to plant a tree and I don’t feel secure, I feel that I’m going to run away, it is difficult.”
Nwoya East county MP Mr Geofrey Okello said that the current land dispute in Acholi sub region is a time bomb which will anytime from now explode if not well handled.
“We don’t want to see what happened several years ago. That is why we as leaders believe that youth empowerment is key. Our people are being cheated at the watch of the government just because of ignorance we won’t allow that,” he said.
Former Nwoya woman MP Ms Lilly Adong called upon the youths to fully utilize their land instead of just crying out “because these people won’t stop coming unless we ensure that our land is put to use,”
