Dokolo North MP-elect Joseph Jones Ogwal is advancing a new agricultural strategy aimed at shifting millet production in Lango Sub-region from subsistence farming to commercial value chain development.
The initiative, anchored under the Kal Yen Project, is focusing on scaling production, improving quality standards, and linking farmers to structured markets as part of a broader agro-industrial transformation agenda.
Speaking during a farmers’ engagement on April 19, 2026, in Baronger Village, Amwoma Sub-county, Ogwal said the programme will be formally launched with technical involvement from the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries and agricultural scientists from the Makerere University Faculty of Agriculture to strengthen research, production systems and market linkages.
He said the focus is no longer only on increasing acreage but on building a structured millet economy that can supply both domestic processors and export markets, positioning Dokolo North as a production and aggregation hub.
Ogwal noted that millet remains underutilised despite its strong demand in urban centres such as Kampala, where supply chains are still heavily dependent on external producing regions like Bushenyi. He said this gap presents an opportunity for Lango to reclaim a competitive role in national grain markets.
The MP-elect also emphasised value addition, indicating that future phases of the project will explore processing, packaging, and branding of millet to meet industrial and export standards. He said this would help farmers move beyond raw produce sales into higher-value market participation.
He further linked the initiative to household resilience, revealing plans for a parallel livestock health intervention targeting indigenous poultry, aimed at improving nutrition and income security at community level.
Local leadership has expressed support for the programme, with outgoing Amwoma Sub-county LCIII Chairperson Geoffrey Odur describing it as a step towards aligning agriculture with cultural and economic revival. He encouraged formal institutional registration through the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives to strengthen governance and sustainability.
Kal Yen Project Director Ogwal Parmenas Willy said the long-term vision includes tapping into international demand, citing growing consumption of millet in markets such as the United States, India, China and Israel.
He added that the project integrates environmental sustainability through tree planting and climate resilience measures aimed at supporting rural livelihoods and reducing pressure on natural resources.
Parmenas highlighted infrastructure development—particularly roads and utilities—as a critical enabler for agricultural transformation, noting that improved connectivity will be key to establishing Amwoma Sub-county as a future grain trading centre.
About 200 farmers have already planted millet under the programme this season, with expansion planned across all sub-counties and town councils in Dokolo North. The project, which is managed by a 25-member executive team, is undergoing further consultations ahead of its formal launch, previously scheduled for June 18, 2026.
Agricultural experts argue that with improved seed varieties and modern agronomic practices, millet has the potential to evolve into a commercially viable crop capable of supporting agro-processing and regional trade growth.
The initiative reflects a broader shift in Northern Uganda’s agricultural agenda, where traditional crops are being repositioned as engines of economic transformation rather than subsistence staples.