Kampala — A cattle and food security project has been launched in Gulu, Lira and Amuru districts. The sh1.7b five-year project, launched by the Heifer International-Uganda in partnership with US Agency for International Development (USAID), will promote food security and income through a dairy value chain.

Ruth Sempa of USAID, Patrick Nalere of Heifer International and Gulu LC5 councillor, Willy Okello launched the venture on Monday at Acet in Odek sub-county, Gulu district.

Nalere said the project would rebuild the society and reduce poverty levels in the post conflict recovery period.

The Child Care and Development Organisation and Gulu's Can Opwonya Women's Group would benefit from the venture.

The other community- based organisations to benefit are Anaka Foundation and Koch Development Association in Amuru, and Lira's Boke Women Group.

Nalere added that the beneficiaries from the project would be the people who have gone back to their villages since the project encouraged resettlement of people from the camps.

Nalere said the first female calf would be passed on to another member in their group under the multiplier effect of the programme.

Forty bulls, 10 ox-ploughs and 50 exotic dairy cows would be provided to each group.

The groups would also get a milk cooling plant, with a generator from the scheme set to benefit over 1,500 households.

Richard Wanyama of the Heifer Project said farmers would get 500 heifers, 400 oxen, agricultural equipment, milk coolers and milk pasteurisers.

They would also benefit from services like artificial insemination, training in fodder management, clean milk production and handling and sustainable agriculture.

The farmers would also be trained in environmental management practices and entrepreneurship. Nalere said the Heifer Project had setup 400 biogas plants in Uganda. Heifer International is a worldwide NGO working to reduce hunger and poverty. through sharing livestock and knowledge.