Karamoja farmers demand better access to tractors amid mounting agricultural challenges

MOROTO, April 8, 2026 — Farmers in the Karamoja Subregion have voiced growing frustration over limited access to tractors, saying the shortage is undermining agricultural productivity and slowing economic development. Mike Onyang Kidon, a member of the Karamoja Farmers’ Cooperative, has raised concerns about the difficulties he faces in acquiring a tractor from the Nabuin Agricultural Research Institute. The challenge, he says, is affecting not only individual farmers but also the cooperative’s broader efforts to scale up farming in the region. Onyang said repeated attempts to secure a tractor have proved unsuccessful. “I contacted the responsible officials at Nabuin, and they advised me to come in person to make payments. Travelling there is difficult for many of us, especially given the costs involved,” he said. Efforts to explore mobile money payment options have also failed, leaving him with no option but to rely on hand hoes, a method he describes as “time-consuming and ...