Abstract:

The project is on course to achieve the major project outcomes as set during the project design. Under oil palm development in Kalangala, the 6,500 hectares have been planted by the nucleus estate (100% achieved), 4,424 hectares planted by the smallholder farmers (94% achieved), smallholders' net incomes are now at USD 1,384 per hectare per year (92% of target), KOPGT financial self-sufficiency is at 56%, 250kms of farm roads constructed (81% of target), and 27,198 tons of crude palm oil are produced per year in Kalangala (91% of target). OPUL and BIDCO are paying Government of Uganda taxes (on VAT and Income) worth UGX 157.4 billion per year. Under the oil seeds component, mill capacity utilization has reached 39 (46% of target), sunflower yield per hectare is at 1.3 tons per hectare (77% of target), soybean yield per hectares at 0.9 tons per hectare (82% of target), 3,183 farmer groups have received extension services from the project (54% of the target) and, farmers have received UGX 2.8 billion in production credit from financial institutions (93% of the target). Under project management, the project the project has completed the installation of the Management Information System and is now uploading data into it, completed the installation and capacity building of management and staff on the implementation of the STDM to measure project impact, completed the land use change analysis for Buvuma and Kalangala, reviewing the impact report for Kalangala rolled out the implementation of the Randomized Control Trials in the oil seeds project area. Filling of the five vacant position is in advanced stages. The IFAD loan disbursement has increased to 61.77%.