agriculture 15 April 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Pallisa's Abandoned Milk Cooler Leaves Dairy Farmers in Despair After 12 Years
A multi-million shilling milk cooling facility in Pallisa District's Agule Sub-county, built in 2012 under the CAIIP programme, has remained idle for over a decade due to technical issues, causing significant losses for local dairy farmers. Similar failures plague rice hullers in Pallisa, Kibuku, and Budaka, highlighting broader challenges in government-funded agricultural projects. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/pallisa-milk-cooler-gathers-dust-as-farmers-count-losses-5425248
For more than 12 years, a milk cooling facility in Agule Sub-county, Pallisa District, has sat unused, becoming a stark reminder of unfulfilled promises for local dairy farmers.
Launched in 2012 as part of the Community Agricultural Infrastructure Improvement Programme (CAIIP), the cooler was intended to cut post-harvest losses, steady milk prices, and link farmers to better markets in this high-production area.
District chairperson Patrick Duchu confirmed the facility has never operated, blaming technical glitches. Agule Sub-county chairperson Simon Okia pointed to contractor problems and failed repair attempts by district engineers.
Farmers like Joel Okurut express deep disappointment, noting they still sell milk to middlemen at low rates, leading to waste during peak seasons and slim profits.
The structure now shows signs of neglect with rust and dust, mirroring issues in the Bukedi Sub-region where CAIIP-funded projects falter.
In Pallisa, rice hullers in Koboloi and Kakoro remain idle due to power shortages and poor planning. Neighbouring Kibuku has two non-functional hullers in Bulangira and Kagumu, each costing Shs245 million.
Budaka’s hullers in Kamonkoli and Nabiketo face land disputes and technical faults, per LC5 chairperson Emmanuel Pajje. Across these districts, at least six hullers worth Shs1.4 billion are unused.
The $81.9 million CAIIP, backed by IFAD and AfDB, ended in 2013 but failed to deliver in many of Uganda’s 35 targeted districts.
Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)