MP Ogwal Rolls Out Millet Revival Plan to Boost Lango’s Agro-Economy

A renewed campaign to restore millet as a key economic and cultural crop in Lango Sub-region has been launched by Dokolo North MP-elect Joseph Jones Ogwal, with hundreds of farmers already enlisted under a community-driven initiative.

The programme, unveiled on April 19, 2026, in Baronger Village, Aburcero Parish, Amwoma Sub-county, is being implemented through the Kal Yen Project and targets at least 300 farmers with seed capital support to scale up millet production.

Ogwal said the intervention seeks to reverse years of decline in millet farming, which he attributed to a shift towards crops such as cassava and shea, despite the grain’s historical importance in Lango’s food systems and traditions.

He pointed out that while production has dwindled locally, demand for millet remains steady, particularly in urban centres like Kampala, where supplies are increasingly sourced from districts in western Uganda, including Bushenyi.

He contrasted this with the consistency seen in Buganda, where communities have maintained large-scale cultivation of traditional crops such as bananas.

The MP-elect said plans are underway to formally launch the initiative with participation from key stakeholders, including the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries and researchers from the Makerere University Faculty of Agriculture, to strengthen technical support and value chain development.

Ogwal also underscored millet’s nutritional benefits, particularly its iron content, and revealed parallel plans to implement a constituency-wide vaccination drive for indigenous poultry, which he described as critical to household income and food security.

He urged residents to embrace the programme collectively and avoid politicising what he termed a transformative socio-economic intervention.

Local leaders welcomed the initiative, with outgoing Amwoma Sub-county LCIII Chairperson Geoffrey Odur describing it as timely and aligned with efforts to restore cultural identity.

He noted that neighbouring Acholi has sustained its cultural heritage, which continues to draw global attention.

Odur further advised that the project be formalised under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives to enhance its institutional grounding and link it to broader economic programmes.

Kal Yen Project Director Ogwal Parmenas Willy said the initiative is structured to transition farmers from subsistence to commercial production, targeting both domestic and international markets.

He cited growing millet consumption in countries such as the United States, China, India and Israel.

He added that environmental conservation forms part of the programme through tree planting campaigns aimed at addressing firewood shortages and improving livelihoods, particularly for women.

Parmenas emphasised the need for improved infrastructure, including roads, water and electricity, to unlock the region’s full agricultural potential, identifying Amwoma as a future centre for millet trade.

Project data indicates that at least 200 farmers have already planted millet this season, with expansion planned across all sub-counties and town councils in Dokolo North.

The initiative operates under a 25-member executive structure, although its official launch—initially scheduled for June 18, 2026—has been deferred pending further consultations.

Agronomists highlight millet’s resilience to harsh climatic conditions, long storage life and rising market demand as factors positioning it as a viable commercial crop.

With the introduction of improved varieties such as SEREMI 2 and adoption of modern farming techniques, stakeholders believe the grain could play a central role in strengthening food security and household incomes.

The Dokolo initiative marks a renewed push to elevate millet from a traditional staple to a strategic commodity capable of driving economic transformation across Northern Uganda.