The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) launched its manifesto on 07th Jan 2015 at a public rally in Mbale outlining how it hopes to radically reform all sectors of the country should it win state power this year [2016].
As detailed out in the document, their manifesto is built on three pillars: liberation; restructuring of state institutions; and transformation.
Once in power, according to the document, FDC will offer Ugandans “a brand of political and public service leadership that is transformative, selfless and patriotic.”
According to the FDC, a partnership with religious institutions could harness their organizational and professional capabilities to lead the transformation process in the agricultural sector.
Detailed Review:
A Partnership with Religious Institutions to establish model Agricultural Mechanisation and Commercialisation Growth Centres.
Since the pre-independence era, Uganda’s religious institutions have provided leadership in critical areas of economic and social development, and particularly in providing education and health services. A partnership with religious institutions could harness their organizational and professional capabilities to lead the transformation process in the agricultural sector.
Today, there are approximately over 50 catholic and Anglican dioceses, 52 Moslem districts, and 10 Adventist Fields. Most of them possess land in the excess of 2000 acres. The FDC believes that agriculture modernization and commercialization can start from here.
The FDC led government will initiate and fast track partnership negotiations with religious institutions, and bring atleast 40,000 acres of their land under modern commercial agriculture. We will facilitate partnership between interested religious institutions, and the private sector, provide financing and other guarantees to enable each participating religious institution to put atleast 1,000 acres of commercial land to agriculture.
For each participating Diocese, District or Field, government will provide the required funding, a minimum of 3 tractors and other appropriate modern labor saving technologies needed to support agricultural modernization and commercialization in the area.
These model growth centres will be the epi-center for providing tractor hire services and other inputs to the neighborhood. This measure is projected to increase the availability of tractors and other appropriate farming technologies across the country and create approximately 8,000 jobs per year. The participating religious institutions will benefit from increased, stable and sustainable incomes to enhance their community development and spiritual work.
More – THE FDC MANIFESTO
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