Govt looks to new market to boost cattle trade in Agago

The commissioning of a new livestock market in Atula Central Village, Omot Sub-county, Agago District, has renewed hopes of a boom in animal production and trade in the area.

 The construction of Alwa Market was completed in May at a cost of Shs341.3 million by the Ministry of Local Government with funding from the UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) under the Development Initiative for Northern Uganda (DINU) project.

 Alwa Market trades on a weekly basis and attracts traders from the neighbouring districts of Lira, Gulu, Pader, Mbale, Kitgum and Abim, among others.

 At its official commissioning on Friday, Mr Moses Opoka, the chairperson of the livestock traders in Omot Sub-county, noted that the market has already seen a rise in the number of vendors from 2,000 to 3,000 in three months.

 “In the previous months, people used to fear taking this venture due to cattle theft and sometimes even getting lost as they strayed, but now that there is a fence, an overwhelming number of locals have joined the market,” said Mr Opoka.

 “I am optimistic the project is going to change our (livestock traders) capabilities to acquire basic needs, including paying school fees and better medical bills, among others,” he added.

 Mr Molly Apio, another livestock trader, also noted that the livestock market has given them chance to negotiate for better prices.

 “In the past, we could sell in a hurry due to lack of safety grounds for our livestock but now the security is guaranteed due to the fence,” said Ms Apio.

 “Just a week ago, I sold two of my cows each for Shs1.4 million instead of the Shs800,000 in the past months,” she added.

 According to Mr Geoffrey Otema, the DINU focal point person in the district, the major economic activities in the market previously were produce trading and general merchandise.  He, however, said with time, traders started noticing untapped opportunities in the livestock value chain.

  Mr Leonard Ojok, the district chairperson, believes the new market will improve the quality of livestock.

 “The only worry that remains is cattle rustling, my appeal to the government is to allay the concerns of the farmers that the cattle rustlers need to be dealt with if the livestock market is to impact the livestock farmers here,” Mr Ojok says.

Mr Anthony Namara, the commissioner for local economic development in the Ministry of Local Government, who commissioned the facility, urged local communities to make good use of it to transform their lives.

 “When we see such projects making an impact in the lives of people, it also gives us the energy to extend similar support to others with the same goal of poverty alleviation,” said Mr Namara.

 “We expect locals in the area to now act as role models, showing that the project has changed their lives and encouraging more to join,” he added.