Farmers in Nebbi Hill Ward have switched to growing cabbage and onions after training delivered on October 15 by Parish Development Model facilitators. The shift comes after most beneficiaries who had chosen cassava growing found they had no farmland available, according to Andrew Yangchon, Nebbi Municipality's production officer and PDM focal person. The move is intended to help urban farmers earn money faster, since cabbage and onions mature in three months compared to nearly a year for cassava.
Land shortage and changing weather patterns have made traditional farming enterprises difficult for PDM beneficiaries in urban areas. Unpredictable rainfall has increased demand for crops with shorter growing periods. Winnie Ogentho Fuacan, a member of the Jalar Cassava Enterprise Group, said the alternative crops would allow farmers to generate income within a shorter timeframe than cassava, which takes about seven months to mature.
The challenges reflect broader implementation problems with PDM in Nebbi Hill Ward. Shs369 million has been disbursed to 369 beneficiaries across six cells, but recovery has been poor. Only Shs1.2 million has been recovered from the ward, with an additional Shs5 million stuck in accounts after beneficiaries lost access passwords.
Recovery difficulties extend across Nebbi District. Officials reported that only Shs2.7 million had been recovered from Shs6.6 billion disbursed to 6,600 beneficiaries after the two-year grace period expired in February 2026. Officials attributed low recovery to irregular beneficiary selection in 2023, missing records and diversion of funds to non-production activities.