Pader district leaders rally farmers to embrace government agricultural programmes as hoe distribution nears

4 July 2026, 1:57 pm

By Geoffrey Okwong

Pader District leaders have called on residents to take advantage of ongoing government agricultural programmes aimed at improving household incomes and food security, with the distribution of hand hoes to more than 52,000 households set to begin next week. 

Alfred Akena, the District LC V Chairperson, said the initiative is one of several government interventions currently being implemented to support farmers across the district.

Speaking during a radio talk show that provides a platform for the LC V chairpersons of Pader and Agago districts to update residents on government programmes and district affairs, Akena said government is implementing a number of agricultural interventions intended to improve livelihoods and reduce poverty.

He said the programmes include livestock restocking and climate-smart agriculture initiatives, through which farmers are being supported to venture into enterprises such as beekeeping, fish farming, soybean cultivation, maize growing and cattle rearing for beef production.

Akena said the next phase of support will be the distribution of hand hoes, with 52,000 households across Pader District expected to each receive one hoe under the government programme.

He explained that the beneficiaries were identified using data from the 2024 Uganda National Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) National Population and Housing Census, noting that the government is relying on the census register to ensure transparency and accountability in the distribution exercise.

According to Akena, the distribution will begin on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, and continue until Friday, with hoes delivered to all sub-counties and town councils across the district.

He appealed to all LC III chairpersons to urgently disseminate the information to their respective communities so that eligible households are aware of the distribution dates and collection arrangements.

The LC V chairperson also clarified that newly established families whose names do not appear on the beneficiary register should receive the hoes through their parents’ households, since the current distribution is based on the 2024 census data.

Akena urged beneficiaries to put the hoes to productive use instead of selling them, saying the tools are intended to increase agricultural production at the household level. He warned that anyone found selling government-issued hoes could face arrest.

He also cautioned officials involved in the distribution against diverting or concealing any of the hoes, stressing that every tool must reach its intended beneficiary.

With the rainy season underway, Akena encouraged residents to return to their gardens and make full use of the government support programmes to increase food production, improve household incomes and strengthen food security across the district.

He said the success of the government’s agricultural interventions will largely depend on how well communities embrace the programmes and use the support provided to transform their livelihoods.

Speaking during a meeting with agricultural extension workers at the District Health Boardroom, Pader District Production Officer Seydou Adolatona Opoka confirmed that the consignment of hand hoes has already been received and is being stored at the District Production Department ahead of the planned distribution.

Opoka said each eligible household will receive one hand hoe, adding that beneficiaries were identified using data from the 2024 Uganda National Population and Housing Census. He emphasized that only households captured during the census will qualify for the exercise.

He said district councilors and extension workers were being briefed in advance to ensure the distribution is conducted transparently and accountably, with clear information reaching communities before the exercise begins.