Connect with us

WITNESS RADIO MILESTONES

South Korea to spend Shs7.5b on agricultural research in Uganda

Published

on

The director Korea Program on International Agriculture [KOPIA] – Uganda, Dr Park Taeseon stresses a point during the interview. PHOTO/DAVID VOSH AJUNA

South Korea through the Korea Programme on International Agriculture [KOPIA] will next year inject over Shs7.5 billion in agricultural-based research to boost modern agriculture.

“This year [2020], KOPIA injected about Shs3.6b in Agricultural research. We intend to double the capital injection up to a tune of not less than Shs7.5b next year,” said Dr Park Taeseon, the director KOPIA Uganda.

Dr Taeseon said that the coronavirus pandemic which has so far killed more than 1.46 million people and infected nearly 63 million people worldwide, dealt their 2020 research projects a huge blow.

“Our ability to put in much more funds was greatly affected by Covid-19. Besides, because of Covid-19, we were unable to fly in researchers from Korea and other world countries to come here [Uganda] and provide expert knowledge,” he said at the weekend during the review of the last edition of the virtual ‘Seeds of Gold event that was at the National Agricultural Research Centre (NARO) at Kawanda.

latest05pix5

KOPIA country director Dr Park Taeseon on the sidelines of the virtual 2020 Seeds of Gold said the research projects will expand to cover various Agricultural practices in Uganda. PHOTO/COURTESY.

It focused on banana and organic vegetable farming.

He said that the primary target for the research projects will be on food crops.

“This project will take on crops like rice, cereal, and vegetable farming but in the future it will expand to other crops like oranges, chicken and other agricultural practices. We are partnering with several agricultural research centres, universities and other related entities in the country,” he said.

latest05pix1

The research projects will be seeking to better Agricultural practices in the interest of having high levels of production. PHOTO/DAVID VOSH AJUNA

According to Dr Taeseon, KOPIA projects are a consolidation of bilateral agricultural cooperation.

“We are doing this in order to improve on production and quality by sharing our advanced agricultural technology with countries like Uganda, Congo and Rwanda,” he said.

NARO director, Dr Wilberforce Tushemereirwe said the virtual 2020 Seeds of Gold was an opportunity for them to showcase what they have, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic.

latest05pix3

An expert disseminates knowledge during the 2nd last edition of the televised-virtual 2020 Seeds of Gold at the NARO centre, Kawanda, November 28, 2020. The last edition will be happening on December 12 [Read below for details]. PHOTO/DAVID VOSH AJUNA

Nation Media Group’s senior activations and promotions officer, Mr Joshua Watwaluma revealed that the last edition of this year’s virtual Seeds of Gold will be held on December 12, 2020- focusing on dairy and maize farming at Nakyesesa Agricultural Institute Namulonge, Gayaza in Wakiso District.

The Seeds of Gold farm clinics; organised by NTV Uganda and Daily Monitor turned virtual this year after the outbreak of Covid-19.

Original Post: Daily Monitor

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

DEFENDING LAND AND ENVIRONMENTAL RIGHTS

Statement: The Energy Sector Strategy 2024–2028 Must Mark the End of the EBRD’s Support to Fossil Fuels

Published

on

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is due to publish a new Energy Sector Strategy before the end of 2023. A total of 130 civil society organizations from over 40 countries have released a statement calling on the EBRD to end finance for all fossil fuels, including gas.

From 2018 to 2021, the EBRD invested EUR 2.9 billion in the fossil energy sector, with the majority of this support going to gas. This makes it the third biggest funder of fossil fuels among all multilateral development banks, behind the World Bank Group and the Islamic Development Bank.

The EBRD has already excluded coal and upstream oil and gas fields from its financing. The draft Energy Sector Strategy further excludes oil transportation and oil-fired electricity generation. However, the draft strategy would continue to allow some investment in new fossil gas pipelines and other transportation infrastructure, as well as gas power generation and heating.

In the statement, the civil society organizations point out that any new support to gas risks locking in outdated energy infrastructure in places that need investments in clean energy the most. At the same time, they highlight, ending support to fossil gas is necessary, not only for climate security, but also for ensuring energy security, since continued investment in gas exposes countries of operation to high and volatile energy prices that can have a severe impact on their ability to reach development targets. Moreover, they underscore that supporting new gas transportation infrastructure is not a solution to the current energy crisis, given that new infrastructure would not come online for several years, well after the crisis has passed.

The signatories of the statement call on the EBRD to amend the Energy Sector Strategy to

  • fully exclude new investments in midstream and downstream gas projects;
  • avoid loopholes involving the use of unproven or uneconomic technologies, as well as aspirational but meaningless mitigation measures such as “CCS-readiness”; and
  • strengthen the requirements for financial intermediaries where the intended nature of the sub-transactions is not known to exclude fossil fuel finance across the entire value chain.

Source: iisd.org

Download the statement: https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2023-09/ngo-statement-on-energy-sector-strategy-2024-2028.pdf

Continue Reading

PETITIONS

Complaint against unprofessional conduct of the DPC Kiryandongo district for aiding and abetting land grabbing in kiryandongo district.

Published

on

The Commandant,

Professional Standards Unit, Uganda Police-Kampala.

Dear Sir/Madam;

RE: COMPLAINT AGAINST UNPROFESSIONAL CONDUCT OF THE DPC KIRYANDONGO DISTRICT FOR AIDING AND ABETTING LAND GRABBING IN NYAMUTENDE KITWARA PARISH KIRYANDONGO DISTRICT AND CARRYING OUT ILLEGAL ARRESTS AND DETENTION OF INNOCENT RESIDENTS/ BIBANJA OWNERS FOR PROTESTING AGAINST THE ILLEGAL EVICTION FROM THEIR LAND.

We act for and behalf of the Lawful and bonafide occupants of Land described as LRV MAS 2 FOLIO 8 BLOCK 8 PLOT 22 (FORMERLY KNOWN AS RANCH 22).

Our Clients are residents of Nyamutende Village, Kitwara Parish in Kiryandongo District where they have lived for more than 30 years and sometime in 2017, they applied for a lease of the said Land to Kiryandongo District Land Board through the Directorate of Land Matters State House.

As they were still awaiting their Application to be processed, they were shocked to establish that the said land had been instead leased to and registered in the names of Isingoma Julius, Mwesige Simon, John Musokota William, Tumusiime Gerald, Wabwire Messener Gabriel, Ocema Richard and Wilson Shikhama, some of whom were not known to the Complainants. A copy of the Search is attached hereto

Our clients protested the above action and appealed to relevant offices, but were shocked to discover that the above persons had gone ahead and sold the same to a one Maseruka Robert.

Aggrieved by these actions, the Complainants appealed to the RDC who advised them to institute proceedings against the said persons, and assigned them a one Mbabazi Samuel to assist them to that effect. The said Mbabazi accordingly filed Civil Suit Noa 46 of 2019 against tne said registered proprietors at Masindi High Court challenging the illegal and fraudulent registration, sale and transfer of the subject land to Maseruka Robert.

While awaiting the progress of the case mentioned hereinabove, the Complainants were surprised to find that the said Mbabazi, instead of assisting them, he went into a consent settling the said suit on their behalf without their knowledge or consent. A copy of the Consent is attached hereto.

Among the terms of the said consent Judgment was that the residents would be compensated without specifying how much and would in return vacate the Land.

As if that was not enough, Maseruka Robert and Mbabazi Samuel are going ahead to execute the said Consent Judgment by forcefully evicting the occupants without compensation which has prompted the complainants to challenge the said Consent by applying for its review and setting aside at Masindi High Court which is coming up for hearing on the 29th March 2023. A copy of the Application is attached hereto.

Sensing the imminent threat of eviction, we also filed an application for interim stay of execution of the said consent to avoid rendering their application for review nugatory but unfortunately the same could not be heard on the date it was fixed for hearing (6th February 2023). A copy of the Application is attached hereto

On Thursday last week, three tractors being operated by 6 workers of a one Mbabazi Samuel [the very person who had been entrusted to represent our Clients to secure their Land through Civil Suit No.46 of 2019] encroached close to 50 acres of our Clients’ land and started ploughing it but our Client’s protested and chased them away.

We have however been shocked to receive information from our Clients that on Sunday at Mid night, 3 police patrols invaded the community in the night and arrested community members; Mulenje Jack, Steven Kagyenji, Mulekwa David, Ntambala Geoffrey, Tumukunde Isaac 15 years, Kanunu Innocent, Mukombozi Frank, Kuzara, Rwamunyankole Enock, and took them to Kiryandongo Police Station where they are currently detained.

We strongly protest the illegal arrests and detention of our Clients as this is a carefully orchestrated land grabbing scheme by Maseruka Robert and Mbabazi Samuel who are  receiving support from the DPC Kiryandongo.

The purpose of this Letter therefore is to request your good office to investigate the misconduct, abuse of office and unprofessionalism of the said DPC Kiryandongo District and all his involvement in the land grabbing schemes on land formerly known as Ranch 22.

Looking forward to your urgent intervention,

C.C The Head Police Land Protection Unit Police Head Quarters Naguru

CC The RDC Kiryandongo District

CC The Chairman LCVKityadongo District

CC The Regional Police CommanderAlbertine Region

Continue Reading

WITNESS RADIO MILESTONES

The Executive Director of Witness Radio Uganda talks about the role played by Witness Radio in protecting communities affected by large-scale agribusinesses in Kiryandongo district in an interview with the ILC.

Published

on

Continue Reading

Resource Center

Legal Framework

READ BY CATEGORY

Facebook

Newsletter

Subscribe to Witness Radio's newsletter



Trending

Subscribe to Witness Radio's newsletter