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Although the product had not yet been distributed to farmers, the revelation prompted district authorities to call for a thorough inspection of all remaining supplies expected to arrive in the district before acceptance and distribution.Uthuba directed officials to ensure every consignment undergoes proper verification to protect farmers from receiving poor-quality inputs that could affect production and waste their investments.The incident has sparked concerns over whether similar expired or near-expiry products could have reached other districts covered by the nationwide project.With UCSATP being implemented across 69 districts, questions are now emerging over the effectiveness of monitoring systems and whether all supplied agricultural inputs are being subjected to adequate quality checks before reaching beneficiaries.The project, which became effective on June 25, 2024, is one of government’s biggest agricultural interventions, with a budget of USD 350 million (about Shs1.3 trillion) from the World Bank.Local Farmers and Suppliers are Cross Checking on the Agricultural Inputs after the District Leaders Discovered the Expired Insecticide Presented a SampleIt is designed to increase agricultural productivity, improve market access and support farmers facing climate-related challenges through interventions such as climate-smart seeds, modern irrigation systems, mechanisation centres, improved roads and better links to markets.Under the programme, farmers contribute 20 percent of the cost of agricultural inputs while government subsidises the remaining 80 percent.The initiative provides farmers with various inputs including pesticides, fertilisers, spray pumps, personal protective equipment and other farming equipment aimed at promoting climate-smart agriculture.However, the Nebbi incident has raised uncomfortable questions over whether the systems meant to safeguard farmers and ensure value for money are working effectively. The Director of Farmer to Farmer Distributor, Nicholas Alele Jesse, who is among the suppliers involved, expressed regret over the discovery and said the company would work with relevant authorities to establish how the expired sample ended up in the consignment.Alele said investigations would help identify gaps and prevent similar incidents from happening again.Resident District Commissioner Robert Abak also called for stronger inspection, accountability and verification measures to ensure only approved and quality inputs are delivered to farmers while protecting public resources.District agricultural officials indicated that the first phase of UCSATP implementation in Nebbi is expected to benefit about 100 farmers from Watagataga and Merber farmer groups involved in coffee and soybean value chains.Officials have encouraged more farmers to organise themselves into groups so they can benefit from the more than 250 available slots under the programme.The project is being overseen by a leadership team headed by National Project Coordinator Eng. Okanya Boniface, with expectations that it will significantly transform Uganda’s agricultural sector.However, the expired input scare has created a credibility test for the project managers and suppliers involved.As farmers wait for climate-smart support promised under the programme, questions remain over who failed to detect the expired products before they reached district officials.The Director of Farmer to Farmer Distributors, Jesse Alele observing the expiry date written on a bottle of pesticide rejected by the Nebbi district leaders at the district headquarters as local leaders look onWas it a supplier failure, weak supervision by project officials, or gaps in MAAIF’s verification processes?The incident has also opened another debate around complaints from some suppliers and contractors who claim delays in payments by the project have affected their operations.Some suppliers argue that delayed payments could strain relationships between contractors and project managers, potentially affecting timely delivery of services and supplies.With billions of shillings involved and thousands of farmers expected to benefit, stakeholders are demanding that UCSATP authorities tighten oversight to ensure the project does not lose public confidence over avoidable quality-control failures.GOT A HOT STORY? LET US KNOW!Got breaking news, explosive secrets, or hard evidence?Email us: redpeppertips@gmail.comWe accept tips, documents, videos, photos, and recordings—the more evidence you have, the better.CONFIDENTIALITY IS OUR TOP PRIORITY. SOURCES ARE ALWAYS PROTECTED!About Post Author
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