PRESS RELEASE: CLARIFICATION ON REPAYMENT OF NAADS SUPPORT TO FARMERS

PRESS RELEASE
CLARIFICATION ON REPAYMENT OF NAADS SUPPORT TO FARMERS

Following the recent reports in the media, attributed to various leaders at national and regional levels pertaining to repayment of technology inputs being given to farmers, by the NAADS programme, my ministry would like to make clarification as follows:

1. The NAADS programme is to provide support to farmers through locally constituted farmers groups, registered at the Sub-Counties, as required by the NAADS Act 2001. Each farmer group is required to pay a registration fee agreed upon by the district. Through these farmer groups, NAADS provides support in form of technology inputs to the different categories of farmers.
2. Farmers are supported according to their capacity and willingness to provide their farms as a learning center for other farmers. The support provided is in form of advice, planting materials, improved animal breeds or other inputs.
3. Every farmer receiving planting materials, improved animal breeds or other inputs is required to pay back 70% of the value of the technology inputs given to them by NAADS. The payment must be made in cash, into an account that has been opened by the group for this purpose. This payment is intended to establish a revolving fund from which other farmers in the group will continue to benefit. It is therefore, the responsibility of the Local Government (Sub-County) to ensure that farmers pay back in order for other farmers to benefit.

I therefore, wish to emphasise that the government support is not free, and is intended to contribute to achievement of commercialization of Agriculture as well as Prosperity for All.

FOR GOD AND MY COUNTRY

Hope Mwesigye (MP)
Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries

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