Pages

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

EMPLOYMENT OF GRADUATES IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES

The high unemployment levels of graduates in Uganda is not news. However, Government should review its focus on funding graduate employment which is to see the opening of retail business outlets. My opinion is that Government should encourage graduates who can go on ground in rural settings where they can be involved in mobilization of the communities into better productive entities. A case in point is that many people in the rural settings are yet to get on board as regards mobilization of savings in groups out of which members can borrow to see to expansion of their entities. The focal point of my argument is that Government should encourage and promote grants to graduates who can prove that they have projects or proposals that can see better community mobilization for increased productivity, hence increased output. A graduate could for example come up with a proposal targeting mobilization of farmers to increase production by using better methods, knowing that with a budget say of shs 5 million in the 1st year, he/she will be able to see more output by farmers who are organized in groups and when shs 5 million gets invested in increased production, that money is capable of creating more value, out of which the graduate can be able to get a salary as well as see increased productivity and production hence greater returns to the farmer , and this process should be able to carry on without additional support from government. HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE? We are aware that many people have redundant land. A graduate can come up with a proposal to mobilize these people to come together and work as a group. They may then embark on clearing land collectively under the graduates supervision, and in the end, many acres of unproductive land can end up producing so much in tonnes of Maize. The seeds for planting may be procured from the grant the Government may have released to the graduate. The same graduate could advise farmers to undertake crop and animal enterprises at a go where droppings from the animals are used as fertilizer to the crop enterprises. And at the same time, a graduate can advise farmers on managing fewer animals, but constantly improving the breeds through artificial insemination. the productively will definitely be boosted. Giving graduates grants of the nature outlined can be very positive and many graduates will get down and work on feasible proposals and where possible consult with technical personnel to see that the ventures they get involved in actually work out, as grants may be for once. Given the regional markets, graduates employment can be greatly enhanced if they are given the challenge to sit down and come up with proposals that can positively boost the income for the people in rural communities where poverty is most concentrated yet when the people have land resources that are basic to see to better income. William Kituuka Kiwanuka

No comments:

Post a Comment