The Church of Uganda has received 3,000 rainbow chicks from the government through the National Agriculture Advisory Services (NAADS) as part of efforts by the Church to fight household poverty.
The chicks which will be delivered to Busoga Diocese were handed over by Dr. Robert Kiyini, the assistant livestock development officer for NAADS to Rev. Andrew Agaba, the director, Household and Community Transformation (HCT) at the National Agriculture Genetic Resources Centre and Data Bank Hatchery in Entebbe, Wakiso district.
Rev. Agaba commended the government for supporting the Church of Uganda’s agenda to transform livelihoods and boost household incomes.
“I thank the government for supporting the Church of Uganda to improve livelihoods, transform communities, boost household incomes and ensure that there is food security for people to have life in abundance,” said Agaba.
He called upon the beneficiaries to take good care of the chicks received so that there is visible impact at household level.
“We are implementing the first phase of the project. This is more of a pilot project. The way beneficiaries look after what they have received will determine the next course of action. But we are in talks with the government to have all other Dioceses and regions benefit, “he said.
Kiyini called for transparency and proper accountability by both the handlers of the deliveries and the beneficiaries.
He commended the Church for coming up with a concept for an agriculture project and pitching it well that convinced the President to direct the government to support its implementation.
He pledged government’s support towards household and community transformation.
The Church of Uganda’s agriculture programme was designed to mobilize, equip and position Church of Uganda leaders, and farmer groups as community mobilizers and act as mindset agents to tackle mindset change toward agro- industrialization.
A Memorandum of Understanding signed on March 24 2022 between Church of Uganda and the government through NAADS to strengthen agriculture production in the province.
The programme was also designed to rally Church of Uganda leaders, congregations and the community towards agricultural production of priority crops for food and nutrition security and improved incomes.
The project strives to support households of Church of Uganda leaders, congregations and community agricultural production , post-harvest handling, value addition and support linkages to markets in priority agricultural commodities.