District leaders from the Toro sub-region have called for the decentralization of the Local Economic Growth Support Project for its quicker implementation district level.

Launched in May 2019, the LEGS program is being implemented in the four districts of Kabarole, Kyenjojo, Bunyangabu and Ntoroko. The Project is being funded by the Islamic Development Bank at a total cost of 50 million US dollars and seeks to enhance agricultural production and productivity and improve household income and livelihoods. This is the report

According to the Kabarole district chairperson who also doubles as the president Uganda Local Governments Association, Kasolo William the operations of the program should be decentralized to avoid time wastage.

The Project which is being funded by the Islamic Development Bank at a total cost of 50 million US dollars seeks to enhance agricultural production and productivity and improve household income and livelihoods through investments in water and market access infrastructure and agricultural value chain, development and enhanced access to rural financing.

Richard Rwabuhinga says some of the projects have taken a long time to be completed because of the long processes that have to be completed by the Central government doing procurement.

This was revealed during a visit by a delegation from the donors supporting the project to the region who were led by the minister of Local government Raphael Magyezi.

The delegation visited selected project sites in the Rwenzori sub-region to observe the interventions, structures and support put in place to enhance smallholder farming systems and bolster value chains of strategic food security crops such as rice, maize, coffee, and tea.

The delegation also visited farmers, market traders, business cooperatives and female and youth entrepreneurs to discuss how they are benefitting from the LEGS project to play a better role in the agricultural and economic development of local communities.

Raphael Magyezi, the Local government minister said from the inception of this project, a number of cooperatives had been formed and reaping big from the program.

Some of the beneficiaries praised the government and the donors for coming up with the project which they say has supported in improving their lives.