By Alele Ronald Ongwech
Farmers in Northern Uganda have been urged to embrace full-scale commercial Agriculture in order to grow a faster pace.
The call was made on Tuesday 18th. Feb. 2025 by the Assistant Commissioner Primary Processing and Value addition , Ministry of Agriculture, Animal, Industry and Fisheries , (MAAIF)Mr.Moses Kasigwa in an interactive engagement with Oyam district authorities .
Kasigwa noted that the Government has put up huge projects in Northern Uganda, like the Torchi Irrigation Scheme in Oyam District, at a cost of over Shs 44billion.
Kasigwa also revealed that the Government is in the advance stages of mechanisation of procuring Tractors, planters for all the Irrigation Schemes under the Ministry, adding that it’s the role of the farmers to own the Project and start practicing large scale Agriculture so that they can gain maximum profits.
He also urged farmers not to wait for the government to provide everything, adding that Farmers should protect such Irrigation projects from Vandalism, so that they can reap.
Additionally , Kasigwa added that, the development of Torchi irrigation projects in Oyam district is being taken up by the Korean investors.
Benson WalterDila Oyuku, LCV Chairperson of Oyam district welcomed the great initiatives brought to the people of Oyam district
Dila pledged to offer total support towards the development of Torchi irrigation Sechem in Oyam and emphasized that the scheme would create job opportunities and enhanced the district’s revenue
Kong a young Soo ,K Rice belt Project Manager Civil Engineer, Irrigation expert said that as Korean investors they will offer total financial assistance towards the torchi irrigation Scheme in Oyam district.
The Project of torchi irrigation Scheme in Oyam district is 5 years project.
The Torchi Irrigation Scheme is benefiting over 1,000 farmers in Lango and surrounding areas in Northern Uganda.
The Government of Uganda through the Ministry of Water and Environment received financial assistance from the African Development Bank towards the implementation of the Farm Income Enhancement and Forestry Project – Phase 2. In a bid to provide water to boost agricultural production, the Ministry disbursed some of these proceeds to undertake the Construction of Irrigation Infrastructure and Facilities at Tochi Irrigation Scheme in Oyam District under Lot 1.
Tochi Irrigation Scheme located in the sub-county of Minakulu at geographical coordinates: 20 24’ 51” North, 320 26’ 22“ East and at an elevation 1040m above MSL in Oyam county, Oyam district, Northern Region, envisaged to cover a gross irrigation perimeter of about 639 ha, utilizing water from both Run-off and Tochi River sources, impounded by an earth dam.
The main construction works commenced on October 2, 2017 and were categories into three sections; Upstream section of dam embankment, downstream section of dam embankment and auxiliary works. The upstream section of the dam embankment consisted of the construction of; reservoir embankment, spillway, and water head regulation structures. The downstream section of the embankment included the Construction of; lined concrete canals, unlined canals, turnout gates, division boxes, canal check structures, and access roads. The auxiliary construction works consisted of; the main production store; office block, residential block and sanitation facilities. The construction phase attained 95% substantial completion in April 2021.
The project was affected by flooding of River Tochi in the months of September and October 2021, where a section of the scheme command area was inundated. A second contract for improvement works commenced 6th February 2023, with scope works that encompassed river dredging, additional farm access roads, canal crossing slabs, toilet access, far
