Church of Uganda has today received 3,000 rainbow chicks from the government of Uganda 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 tomorrow 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 Church of Uganda’s agenda to transform livelihoods and boost household incomes.
“I thank the government for supporting Church of Uganda to improve livelihoods, transform communities, boost household incomes and ensuring that there is food security for people to have life in abundance,” said Rev. Agaba.
He called upon the beneficiaries to take good care of the chicks received so that there is visible impact at household level.
Asked about the other regions benefiting from the agriculture program, Rev. Agaba said,
“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.”
Dr. Kiyini called for transparency and proper accountability by both the handlers of the deliveries and the beneficiaries.
He commended Church of Uganda for coming up with a concept for an agriculture project and pitching it well that convinced the President of Uganda to direct government to support its implementation.
He pledged government’s support towards household and community transformation.
About the agriculture program
Church of Uganda’s agriculture program 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 24th March 2022 between Church of Uganda and the Government of Uganda through National Agriculture Advisory Services (NAADS) to strengthen agriculture production in the Province.
The program 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 also 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.
