news 25 April 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
LRA War Survivors in Agago Turn to Cooperative Farming for Self-Reliance
Survivors of the Lord's Resistance Army insurgency in Uganda's Agago district have formed the Jowa Cooperative Society, shifting from aid dependency to economic independence through group farming and savings. Led by a UPDF soldier, the group has grown rapidly, enabling members to secure loans, boost crop production, and improve family livelihoods. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/how-survivors-of-lra-war-are-transforming-from-recipients-to-self-economic-actors-5436024
In Olokoleb Village, Paicham Parish, Agago district, former victims of the brutal LRA war are rewriting their stories. The over 20-year conflict led by Joseph Kony killed over 100,000 and displaced millions in Acholi, Teso, and Lango regions, leaving communities economically shattered.
Jowa Cooperative Society, meaning ‘Our People’ in Acholi, was founded by Warrant Officer Class One Joseph Wangusi, a UPDF soldier from Magamaga Military Barracks. Starting with 23 members in 2024—men, women, and youth—the group now boasts 196 members by early 2026. They pool savings to offer loans, buy inputs cheaply, and sell produce collectively for better prices.
Ms. Scovia Achiro, a mother of four who lost her husband in the war, borrowed Shs 200,000 to farm sim-sim. She harvested 2.5 sacks, sold them at Shs 5,000 per kg for Shs 680,000, repaid the loan, and bought goats. Those goats multiplied, allowing her to pay school fees. ‘I now dream of my daughter becoming an agricultural officer,’ she says.
Ms. Anna Adong highlights how farming has rebuilt trust: ‘We were afraid of each other during the rebel times, but now we work together in the fields.’
Chairperson Alphonse Moro, once drowning sorrows in alcohol, now grows food for his family. ‘Drinking deepened our poverty, but the cooperative changed everything,’ he shares. Bulk production and partnerships with input dealers have cut costs and improved market access.
Wangusi, a business graduate, drew from his battlefield experiences in Congo, Sudan, CAR, and Somalia to promote self-reliance. Monthly savings hit Shs 500,000 by late 2025, fueling growth and loans for those without bank accounts.
This initiative transforms war survivors from aid recipients into thriving economic actors, proving agriculture’s power in Uganda’s recovery.
Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)