The department is headed by the District Production & Marketing Officer (DPMO) who services the Production and Marketing Committee. The DPMO controls the DAO, DVO, SCO, etc. The DAO, DVO, SCO are responsible for the technical coordination of the programmes at the Sub county level within the District development plan and national polices for the particular sub sectors. They act as liaison officers between their district and technical specialists, policy and programme officers and inspectors at their Ministry headquarters. Their technical subordinates are technical specialists who provide support and guidance to officers delivering services at s/c level and below. It is a service department in Moroto District Local Government. It is charged with the responsibility of increasing crop and livestock production so as to contribute to sustainable growth of the economy. It consists of four (4) sub-sectors namely: - crop, livestock, National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) and trade and cooperatives. Each of these sub-sectors has separate mandate to fulfill, which when summed up contribute to the goal of the department.
The DAO is assisted by a crop production and crop protection officer and soil & water conservation officer. The DVO is assisted by a Public health and production officer, animal production officer, and Livestock marketing & Hides Improvement officer. The Senor commercial Officer is responsible for the development of markets and cooperatives, their regulation, providing support services, auditing & inspection of cooperative enterprises. He is assisted by a market development and regulation officer. The senior commercial officer is also responsible for small scale Industrial developing and developing inward investment in the district in liaison with Uganda Investment Authority. At the District Agricultural training and information Center (not yet constructed), the structure requires a principal agricultural officer as the center manager. Under him are supposed to be SAAO, Far Manager, warden/Training coordinator, 2 AAOs, Accounts Assistant, Stores assistant, stenographer, office assistant and garden attendant.
The crop sector has the mandate to increase crop yields so as to ensure food security and increase household income, soil fertility management, monitoring and control of pests and diseases and this is done through promoting new crop technology.
Livestock sub-sector is to ensure improved livestock production a health livestock population in the district. This is done through increasing extension coverage, improve livestock infrastructure and marketing, carry out vaccinations, sensitize and train farmers, make follow up of causes, monitor and control animal pests and diseases.
Trade and co-operative Sub-sector: - To improve the marketing of farmers produce, increase farmers’ access to credit, collect and disseminate market information.
Agricultural production activities contribute to about 78 % of the economic activities in this district. Most of the rural population derives food and livelihood, from this sector.
The on farm economic activities include crop production of Sorghum, maize, beans, sunflower etc while livestock production involves cattle, goat and pig rearing, and poultry both local and exotic.
Beekeeping is being promoted but these have not become of much significant economic gains to the farmers in Moroto as yet.
Other economic activities include petty trade brewing, hand crafts, causal labour, brick making, hawking merchandise, operating eating places and saloons. Many of the male youth in trading centres are involved in .idle activities leaving most of the farm activities to women, children and the old who offer limited labour force at opening up crop acreage. This proportion of productive labour force has reduced crop acreage and yields in the rural areas. Its resultant effect is food insecurity and low on farm incomes.
MISSION AND VISION
“The mission of the department is to support, promote and guide the production & marketing of livestock and crops and their products.” This mission is to enable the dept to achieve its Vision of developing and maintaining district quantitative and quantitative self-sufficiency in animal and crops and their products and surplus for export all achieved under congenial environment.
GOAL OF THE DEPARTMENT
The goal of the department is “to halve poverty by the year 2015”
OBJECTIVES OF THE DEPARTMENT
1. Provide ready source of cash income to producers as a way of eradicating poverty.
2. Possible foreign exchange source by exporting livestock products.
3. Increase animal protein availability thus improving nutritional status of the population.
4. Create employment for the rural folk.
Cross cutting issues in Production and Marketing
a). HIV/AIDS
Agriculture is the main stay of Moroto district over 90 % of the population depends on agricultural related activities. The HIV/AIDS epidemic has not spared the agricultural labour force. Its effects have been registered in various forms. On the crop farmer its effects include poor land management, reduced crop yields, inability to adopt modern farming methods due to other competing needs for cash where there is limited income. On the livestock farmer there is less care for animals, sale of animals to get income for treatment and care. All these effects create a vicious cycle of poverty on the affected household. The department of production during the planning process identified the need and priorities in communities and developed a work plan for mainstreaming HIV/AIDS activities as an integral part of the district and Sub-county development plan.
Viable strategies have been drawn to achieve the objectives.
Some of the strategies include: -
• Sensitizing communities about crop varieties and their nutrition values.
• Demonstrating the plant and utilizing high protein varieties
• Providing high protein crops and making follow-ups
b): Environmental issues
The impact of Agriculture on environment in Moroto district has been very significant.
c): Poverty Targeting
Poverty in the Agricultural sector has been associated with food insecurity, reduced productivity, lack or expensive agricultural inputs, poor farming methods, high prevalence of pests and diseases, low farm produce prices. All the above negative statements result in low farm incomes.
To reverse the above situation the department through the various sectors and programme is engaged in: -
• Through the NAADS programme it is hoped that Agric. advisory service coverage will improve and become effective.
• Farmers are being trained to take farming as a business.
• Prosperity for all
• Genetic improvement of local breeds
• Diversification of production
d): Gender under production/agriculture
In cases where there is surplus for sale, the men control the money and decide how much to give to the women. Production department under various programmes is conscious of the gender inequalities hence it encourages formation of mixed groups and gives equal opportunities to the groups irrespective of sex. Most programmes guidelines insist on having a third of the group executive being women. This has been observed in most cases especially under NAADS programme. It has been observed that women perform better in many programmes especially those involving credit; hence most programmes under production are increasingly targeting women and building capacity among women groups to take more responsibilities in community issues.
