Government gives cattle for alternative livelihooh
By Ambrose Wanagoli 
The government of Uganda, through Butaleja district local government, boosted by United Nations Development Program(UNDP), has today given cattle to the people of Nawanjofu and Busaba sub counties, to help boost their income off the use of the wetland which government restored recently.
The affected farmers in the restoration program received 44 heifers and goats; distributed per the choices of the affected farmers.
Michael Higenyi Bore, the district chairman says that they received worth 1 billion shillings to procure the animals, and emphasized that today was the first phase. He further revealed that they will donate to the farmers of Busabi sub county 220 heads of cattle next week as they plan to return to Busaba and Nawanjofu to appease the rest of the farmers, who were affected by the wetland restoration program.
Lamula Were, the district Natural resources officer, said that the farmers were tasked to identify the nature of enterprises they can rely on besides cultivating in the gazetted wetland. She said that many chose diary farming, others chose goat rearing, piggery, poultry and fish farming.
Lamula, thanked the government and UNDP for the response but fore warned of a heavy penalty awaiting those who will dare to sell the cattle before getting some profits. She promised to effect abrupt visits to the beneficiaries and urged them to plant grass for pasture.
Jackson Twebaze Ndahayo, the district Veterinary officer, apologized for the delays in procurement, explaining that they didn’t bring the cattle in time due to the quarantine. He, however, assured the beneficiaries that they will artificially inseminate the cattle after 2 Months freely.
Meanwhile, Godfrey Nasuga Musulemi, Assistant RDC for Butaleja, challenged the people of Butaleja to support NRM government for the benefits.
He argued that rice growing in the restored parts of the wetland in Busaba (Magongolo), Busabi(Dumbu), and Nawanjofu(Namehere), had been suffocated by the heavy volumes of water.
He nonetheless discredited some of the goats given, for being too young hence disturbing to raise them up.
