Departmental Mandate.

• Transformation of Agriculture from Subsistence to Commercial Farming.
• Production of globally competitive agricultural products for export.
• Ensure national food and nutrition security and increased household income.

Performance of Operation Wealth Creation (OWC)

The OWC program has supported many farmers in Karenga with high quality seeds of maize, sorghum, beans,

and simsim. The new crop varieties supplied have increased farmers income at household level due to high yields.

Also, there is improved food security which has been boosted the nutrition levels and helped in reduction of malnutrition.

Registration of organized farmers

The district has registered farmer groups located in different sub counties and engaged in different enterprises,

for instance Kawalakol Farmers Organization comprised of 67 farmers groups and Sangar Farmers Organization

comprising of 33 farmers groups. These farmers are basically engaged in production of maize, beans and oil crops.

The livestock farmers are also organized and registered the Karenga livestock farmers association which basically deal in livestock trade

How many SACCOs are prevalent in the district?

The district has a total of 71 SACCOs fully functioning;

• 37 PDM SACCOs
• 33 Emyooga SACCOs
• 1 SACCO called Loyoro-Napore Farmers SACCO

Impact of OWC in the district

The farmers were able to obtain high yielding crop varieties of seeds distributed under OWC. After harvests, they consume this food at household level but also

sell to produce dealers to obtain income which is used to meet other basic needs like heath care, education, and clothing among others.

The improved livestock breeds of Pigs (large white, land race, camborough) and goats (Boers) have greatly improved on the locals breeds through

cross-breeding. The quality and quantity of meat and pork has increased, with farmers making more sales to get more income.

The high nutritional quality of planting materials and livestock breeds distributed under OWC/NAADS program has led to reduction in rates

of malnutrition among beneficiary households as evidenced by reduction in number of malnourished children enrolled on the supplementary

feeding program supported by Andr-Foods International and World Food Program. 

Any update on the reduction of 39%.

The support provided by government under the Parish Development Model Strategy, targeting households within the 39% will have a positive impact once th

e beneficiaries follow the guidelines and their business plans. The district has just disbursed PDM revolving funds to support farmers move

from subsistence to commercial agriculture and impact is yet to be evaluated.

Post-harvest handling facilities.

The district does not have well established post-harvest handling facilities like big silos for grain storage. The development partners constructed community grain

stores which are mostly used for collective bulking before marketing of the produce. The farmers were encouraged to buy super grain/PICs bags for use at household level.

Tractors available in the district

Karenga received 4 tractors from President’s office in 2015 which were allocated to the sub counties of Karenga, Lobalangit, Kapedo

and Kawalakol under the then greater Kaabong district.  Those tractors have since grounded and are no longer working due to poor management and lack

of access to spare parts. Currently, there are only two tractors which are properly working, given by NAADS to Nataba-Akorobo farmers group in Kapedo

and by MAAIF to Karenga women’s farmers groups Karenga town council.

Four acre model

This model is being promoted in the district but the adoption has been low, attributed to communal ownership of land, but also due to difficulty in accessing

high quality inputs which are not easily available in the region.

Agro- processing.

No investors have taken this up seriously, and at the moment, there is no agro-processing facility put up by government in karenga. Farmers

have to transport their produce to Lira or Kitgum for agro-processing and value addition. 

6. 6. 0 Llivelihoods

7.0 Parish Development Model

The PDM was launched and disbursement of funds is at 92% in the whole district. The delay to make it complete is due to the fact that Karenga

district has no mother bank with also poor communication and road networks.