MWE-Enabled Solar Irrigation Offers Fresh Possibility for Ex-Civil Servant & Fellow Farmers in Tororo

By Ben Musanje

Silver Obbo Mawere, once a dedicated civil servant at the Ministry of Internal Affairs, shocked many when he left his government job after realizing his salary could no longer sustain his large family.

After serving for 10 years in the 60s and 70s, he quit in 1975 and moved to Hoima near Lake Albert.

He tried fishing and later shop keeping for years but eventually grew tired and returned to Tororo in 1985.

Back home at Lulikoyo village, Amagoro Ward, Osukuru Tonw Council in Tororo district, life was far from easy. With more than ten children and two wives (who later died), Mawere felt the heavy pressure of school fees, medical bills, and daily needs.

He turned to farming, mainly growing yams selling as far as Mombasa-Kenya. But even with all his effort, the money was never enough.

Then, many years later came a turning point. The government under the directive of President Yoweri Museveni, through the Ministry of Water and Environment (MWE), installed a powerful solar-powered irrigation scheme that covered two villages—Lulikoyo in West Budama South Constituency and Kagwara ‘A’ in Amagolo Ward Parish in Tororo South. This project brought new hope to the community.

Mawere, now the Vice Chairperson of the Lolikoyo- Agwara ‘A’ Solar-Powered Water Irrigation Scheme, embraced the opportunity.

He shifted from yams to horticulture, growing tomatoes and onions and even offered part of his land to help other farmers join the new system.

Although an accident left his hand broken during the first three-month season, he still earned 600,000 shillings. He is confident that in the next season, once fully recovered, he will make more than 3 million shillings.

Landowner and Treasurer for the association, Emmanuel Oketcho also played a major role by offering 5 acres of land for the project after learning it would draw water safely from the nearby Osia stream.

Today, the project has 24 registered farmers, including 14 women and 10 men. Each farmer rents a 3-meter plot, paying 100,000 shillings per harvest and 50,000 shillings yearly for system maintenance.

The farmers recently formed a SACCO to save money and have already applied for Parish Development Model support through Osia Sub County.

Irrigation Support Officer and an Agronomist, Bruno Byembabazi believes the project will change the future of farming in the area.

He explains that tomatoes mature within one and a half months after transplanting, and onions within two and a half months. With good management, a farmer can earn 3–5 million shillings from just a quarter acre.

Hellen Alupo, the Community Liaison Officer for Nexus Green says that misinformation from some area MPs was one of the biggest obstacles when the project began.

She adds that MPs could go on radio urging locals not to accept the project, claiming it was scheme for land-grabbers which delayed the start of this project.

Alupo says that upon sensitization and engagements with communities about the project, they later embraced it and now are benefiting.

The 161,000-Euro Lulikoyo–Agwara ‘A’ Solar-Powered Irrigation Scheme, co-funded by the government and UK Export Finance was designed after detailed studies started in 2021 to ensure water availability and long-term sustainability.

According to project engineer Yusuf Mutebi, the system covers 3.61 hectares, drawing 18 cubic meters of water per hour from River Osia, where a valley dam was built.

It runs entirely on solar energy, using 36 panels, two large reservoirs with 40 cubic meters’ capacity, and modern laser spray irrigation technology.

What began as one man’s fight to support his family has now grown into a powerful farming transformation in Tororo, turning struggle into strength and giving a community renewed hope for the future. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).