Economic activities:

There are three main sources of livelihood in Kasese; crop farming, cattle keeping and fishing. Other economic activities include trade in commodities (especially at the border), manufacturing industries and mining. The district has also been zoned to guide developments in agriculture.

National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS), 2005/06 to date

Under NAADS, enterprises being promoted following the zoning of the district are: piggery, poultry, goat keeping, cattle, coffee, horticulture, maize, cassava and sweet potatoes.
Specific interventions have included:

Farmer institutional development

·      A total of 1400 groups have been identified/ formed and registered at sub-county level.
·      All 24 subcounties and Town councils have sub county farmers’ forum. A District farmers Forum is in place.
·      All the subcounties and Town councils have procurement committees.
·      All the parishes  in the District have parish coordination committees.
·      All parishes have community based selection committees (CBSCs) which are currently handling procurements at the parish level. All sub-counties have sub-county procurement committees that handle sub-county level procurements.
·      At least 4 community based facilitators (CBFs) have been identified per sub-county and supported with a bicycle each.
·      6 higher level farmers associations (for coffee, maize, rice, poultry) have been formed, with the main objective of enhancing bulking of produce for better marketing. Capacity building for these institutions is ongoing, to have their capacity built.
·      1 higher level farmer association engaged in coffee has grown into a cooperative society dealing with production and marketing of coffee. The association embarked on a savings and credit scheme with savings of 3M at the moment.

Fisheries
1.   Two (2) fish slabs built at Kayanja landing site in Nyakiyumbu Sub County and at Kahendero in Muhokya Sub County.
2.   A market stall under construction in Kithoma Market in kitholhu Sub County.
3.   18 Fish cages delivered at Kayanja Landing site in Nyakiyumbu Sub County to begin fish farming.

Mubuku Irrigation scheme: 2,000hactares
516 ha (26%) are under irrigation and continues to enable farmers produce demand crops all year round.
We are grateful to government that the rehabilitation of the scheme has been approved in the farm income enhancement project.

Other achievements under the Production sector in the last four years are:
v Maintaining the Kanyampara water channel that provides water to the cattle-keeping community in Nyakatonzi area. However, we currently face a challenge of funding the maintenance of the channel to continuously provide the needed water for the cattle keeping community.  
v A total of 18,150 heads of cattle vaccinated against foot-and-mouth disease and lumpy skin disease. 
v Two (2) deep tanks rehabilitated; one in Munkunyu and another in Mubuku Irrigation Scheme.
v Construction of animal holding ground at Katunguru in L. Katwe Sub County

Agro-processing initiatives

Ø RECO industries that process pineapples into juice and Jam, tomato into ketch-up, garlic into garlic oil, parpain into mattresses.
Ø Nyakatonzi Cooperative Union processes cooking oil from cotton seed and sun flower, Receipt warehouse system dealing in maize and Paddy rice and ginning cotton for export.
Ø Kyempara farmers process oil from sunflower.
Ø Various maize millers who process maize flour, and animal feeds.

Rural Financial Services Development

There are a total of 21 SACCOs in Kasese district that have been formed since the Presidential call for Prosperity For All (PFA).

16 out of the 21 SACCOs have got funding from government, covering 76.2% of the district.
Of the 2,375bn/= that the district has received from Micro Finance Support Centre (MSCL),
SACCOs have received 375m/=and 2m/= given to Nyakatonzi Cooperative Union, a farmers’ produce and marketing entity.

Financing under LGDP
v 210 bags of cassava cuttings, 4 bags of Irish potatoes and 100kgs of upland rice were procured and supplied to farmers as part of ensuring food security
v A total of 3,525 coffee seedlings and 518 passion fruit seedlings were supplied to various farmers in addition to supplying 710kg of garlic to various farmers in Kyabarungira.
v Fish fray were supplied to 2 fish ponds and 30 fish-nets were supplied to the communities on the lakes.
v 300 layers and 200 broilers were supplied to households in Rukoki Sub County.
v A total of 83 piglets, 46 Boer goats, and 147 local goats were supplied to households and the youth, women and PWD. In addition, three exotic cows were supplied to farmers in the mountain areas of Mahango.
v 9 sewing machines were supplied to PWDs (Persons With Disabilities).
v One 15-HP engine patrol boat was bought to control fishing on Lake Edward in Nyakiyumbu Sub County.
1.   Two Motorised irrigation pumps were procured in Munkunyu Sub County.