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Namutumba leaders divided over relocation of idle Shs100m milk cooler
Namutumba District and Namutumba Sub-county leadership inspect the milk cooler machine in Nakyere Village, Namutumba Sub-county which has remained idle since 2007 when it was installed. PHOTO/RONALD SEEBE
What you need to know:
The milk cooler was part of a 2008/2009 financial year presidential initiative aimed at adding value to milk after the government supplied heifers to model farmer groups in the Busoga Sub-region
Authorities in Namutumba District are divided over the proposed relocation of a Shs100 million milk cooling tank, which has lain idle in a rural area for the past 17 years, to an urban center.
The milk cooler was part of a 2008/2009 financial year presidential initiative aimed at adding value to milk after the government supplied heifers to model farmer groups in the Busoga Sub-region. However, the cooler has been rusting away due to dairy farmers' inability to produce sufficint milk.
Ms Annet Batuvam Neka, Secretary for Production in Nawaikona Sub-county, said the district is losing significant revenue because the milk cooling tank is non-functional. She suggested relocating it from Nakyere Village in Namutumba Sub-county to Namutumba Town Council, where it could be properly utilized.
“Nakyere Village, being a rural area, has no market for milk, and production is very low. It’s time to reallocate the milk cooler to an urban center where there are more dairy farmers who can benefit from it,” she said on Sunday.
Mr Apollo Musita, Namutumba District Production Officer (DPO), stated that the milk cooling machine was constructed and installed in a "wrong place" with no raw materials (milk) to support its operation.
He recalled that on the day the cooler was commissioned, water was used to test its functionality because milk was not available at the time. “Whoever constructed and installed the cooler followed a top-down approach instead of a bottom-up one. They should have consulted the district leadership for guidance,” he added.
Col. Samuel Waiswa Mugabe, in charge of Operation Wealth Creation (OWC) in Namutumba District, expressed concerns that the milk cooler might be stolen due to its insecure location.
“Last time, unknown individuals attempted to steal the cooler; it should be relocated to an urban center where it will be safer,” he said, adding that farmers in Nakyere Village and the entire Namutumba Sub-county primarily rear beef cattle, not dairy cows.
Mr Fred Musoke, District Internal Security Officer (DISO), mentioned that the government, through the Ministry of Agriculture, has been demanding reports on the cooler's non-functionality. The leadership of Namutumba Sub-county has been given six months to ensure the cooler starts operating.
“If there are no results after six months, we will request the government to relocate it to Bushenyi, where there are more dairy farmers,” Mr. Musoke said.
However, Namutumba Sub-county Chairperson Mr. Samuel Gusango argued that relocating the cooler to Namutumba Town Council indicates a lack of confidence in his leadership. “The cooler is one of our sources of revenue; relocating it means we lose that revenue.”
Mr David Mukisa, Namutumba District LC5 Chairperson, warned that relocating the cooler from Nakyere Village to Namutumba Town Council would incur costs.
“I do not support relocating the cooler because it was intended to serve the 20 sub-counties in the district and neighboring districts like Bugiri and Butaleja. The solution is not to relocate it but to provide farmers with high milk-producing heifers,” Mr. Mukisa said.
According to Mr Mukisa, cattle farmers currently rely on local breeds that produce between two and five liters of milk per day.
Mr Stephen Wako, Namutumba District Commercial Officer, noted that dairy farmers in Namutumba Town Council face challenges selling their milk harvested in the evening by the next morning because it spoils by daybreak.
“Since there is no leadership (cooperative) to oversee the cooler's operation, it should be relocated to Namutumba Town Council, where there is a dairy farmers’ cooperative ready to add value to the milk,” Mr Wako said.
Ms Susan Nakalema, Assistant District Health Officer, urged farmers to produce high-quality milk, emphasizing that quality begins with cow hygiene, equipment, and proper post-milking handling.
