PARISH DEVELOPMENT MODEL (PDM)
Like any other program, PDM implementation, management, and coordination continues to get tight, and so far; the most popular in the district.
The popularity is drawn from the growing number of PDM beneficiaries enlisted in parishes, and this reflects a promising future to the SACCOs.
Program specialists indicate that community members are getting enrolled most especially for the category under 39% of the PDM Guidelines.
Every year, the Government releases PDM funds twice which coincides with the planting (farming) calendar.
Each parish SACCO receives UGX 100m in every release, benefiting 100 households with a SACCO member getting UGX 1m.
And Kiboga being a good example to follow, Program Specialists and implementers are up in arms to caution Parish chiefs against falling victims of extortion and malpractice.
The caution comes at a time when Government is thriving on intelligence that elsewhere, parish chiefs have formed rackets of extortion and fraud, forcing security agency to swing into action.
With that in mind, Kiboga Principal Commercial Officer, accompanied by the District Production Officer Godfrey Ssebulime, District Community Development Officer, Nsubuga Patrick and District Communications Officer, Bamukyaye Alex formed team at the beginning of October, this year to embark on a series of trainings as well as caution parish chiefs to improve performance.
In this respect, two sensitization meetings were organized at Kiboga District headquarters and Bukomero Town Council head offices.
Mr Katusime told parish chiefs that the Government was aware of the megre resources allotted to them while on duty, but remained optimistic that conditions would change for the better.
Recently, he told them that Government had allocated UGX 100,000/= to each parish chief to cater for housing allowances, adding that on top, each would receive a bicycle to ease movement.
His counterparts similarly warned them against actions which could tempt them to face the law. They said the Government is descending on their counterparts in the neighboring districts over reports of malpractice.
On their part, the parish chiefs reported lack of funds to cater for data expenses used to register groups in their localities.
In addition it was their observation that their work is overwhelming because some of the Community Development Officers and Agriculture Extension Officers were not doing their roles to complement each other.
They said their absence was slowing the speed of implementation and was found to cause temptation in the process.
Despite the above operational challenges, PDM program is stimulating Local Economic Development (LED) in Kiboga where employment opportunities in the agriculture value chain system such as production, processing, storage and marketing have been created, leading to general improvements in living standards in communities.