Lira, Uganda – Doi Fredrick, chairperson of the Lira City chapter of the Uganda National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (UNCCI), has called upon farmers and businesspeople in the Lango sub-region to adopt water for production and livestock farming as key strategies for poverty eradication. He made this appeal to the media from his farm in Boke Ward, Lira City East Division, on Friday afternoon, emphasizing the commercial benefits of coffee and cocoa cultivation.
Doi Fredrick, residing in Adidigweno Cell, Boke Ward, Lira City East Division, urged the community to invest in livestock farming and water for production to improve livelihoods. During an interview at his farm, he stressed the importance of water for production to support tree planting and livestock rearing, thereby combating poverty in the region.
“Agriculture is a lucrative venture if managed effectively,” Doi stated. “During a visit to Kenya, we observed that nearly every household engaged in livestock farming. This is a practice we should emulate in Lango.”
He emphasized the importance of integrating livestock into farming practices for manure production, highlighting the Kenyan model where livestock ownership is considered essential. “Livestock farming replenishes soil nutrients, leading to better yields and increased income,” he explained.
Doi advocated for the introduction of perennial crops like coffee, mangoes, and cocoa, grown across substantial land areas, to enhance farmers’ livelihoods and income.
At 67, Doi is actively generating income from his 5-hectare farm in Adidigweno, Boke Ward, Lira City, where he cultivates eucalyptus seedlings, bananas, citrus fruits, cocoa, and coffee seedbeds. He also plans to revitalize his piggery and poultry operations.
His farm has become a practical learning site, attracting over 30 students weekly from various schools within and outside Lira City. A retired civil servant who worked at NARO Ngetta until 2015, Doi’s extensive knowledge of oilseed production and other business ventures has earned him recognition across Northern Uganda and beyond.
Certified by the FAO to produce elite planting materials for coffee and cocoa, Doi operates a nursery on his farm in Boke Ward, Lira City East Division, in addition to his larger coffee plantation in Inomo, Kwania District.
As the active chairperson of the Lira City Chamber of Commerce, Doi leads by example, currently nurturing approximately 100,000 coffee seedlings, along with mango, eucalyptus, cocoa, and citrus seedlings, in his personal nursery.
