SUMMARY
A retired professional Agricultural Specialist with vast experience in Agronomy, Agricultural policy, Agricultural institutions to include Training, Research Extension, Marketing, Agro-Industry Organisations, Management and Rural Development.
He was born on the 12th August 1934 to the late Isirairi Okalebo and Toto Amoding who were peasant farmers in Kumi and belongs to the Atekok Icumadeka clan of the Iteso.
He is married to Toto Akaliait Agnes Agwang Osuban with whom they have children. Toto Akaliait Agnes Agwang Osuban was born on the 22nd August 1945 to the late Konstantine Aisu and Arupina Acom. Mr Aisu was a Primary School Teacher who inspired her to attain her qualifications as a Teacher, a position she served from 1965 to 1976 when she switched to Banking where she served till retirement.
EDUCATION
- 1942-1946 Madera Boys Primary School
- 1947-1950 Holy Angels Junior Secondary School, Madera
- 1951-1953 St.Peter’s College, Tororo “O’Level”
- 1957-1958 School of Agriculture Houghall, Durham, UK. “National Certificate in Agriculture”
- 1958-1959 Dundee Technical College, Scotland, UK. “Scottish Higher Certificate in Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry”
- 1959-1963 Edinburgh University, Scotland, UK. “Bsc. (Agric.)
- 1963-1965 West Virginia State University, USA. “Msc (Agric. Economics)
Was also President of Uganda Students Association, Scotland from 1962 to 1963.
Other Formal Education
- 1963 Pittsburgh, USA. “Agricultural Marketing
- 1965 Fort Collins, Colorado State University, USA. “Extension Education”
- 1968 West Berlin, Federal Republic of Germany. “Transfer of Technology”
- 1983 Argentina, Study Tour: “Research/Extension Linkage in Agriculture”
EMPLOYMENT
In 1954, he joined the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Co-operatives as a Laboratory Assistant in Serere Research Station, where he was involved in statistical analysis of variance for various botanical experiments, whilst attending a course in the “Principles of Agriculture.” He was also involved in Field experimental layouts and observations to identify the effects of experimental variables.
In 1965, on return from studies, he was posted to Arapai Agricultural College where he taught Agricultural Economics, Farm Management and Agricultural Extension to Diploma students. In 1968, he was promoted to Principal of Arapai Agricultural College where he continued to teach whilst responsible for the college administration of 250 students and staff of about 20.
In 1970, he was posted to the Northern region which comprised of Acholi, Lango and West Nile as Regional Agricultural Officer, based in Gulu. He was responsible for the supervision of Agricultural extension and other projects staff of approximately 500 in the promotion of agricultural production of both food and cash crops in the area. This required extensive travel covering between 600 to 700 miles per month.
In 1972, he was promoted to the post of Assistant commissioner of Agriculture, and was posted to the Ministry Headquarters with the responsibility of coordinating, training and development of staff in the Agriculture department. He was also responsible for the three Agricultural colleges of Arapai, Bukalasa and Busitema, including 20 District Farm Institutes in the districts meant for the training of farmers.
Following the expulsion of the Asians from the country, he was posted to Kakira Sugar Works complex as Chairman, Government Agent. He was infact the de-facto Managing Director of the Industrial complex producing sugar, sweets, cooking oil, soap etc. employing over 10,000 people.
He was re-posted to the Ministry of Agriculture Headquarters in 1977, and promoted to the position of Deputy Commissioner for Agriculture responsible for staff administration and Finance, a position he held till 1980 when he was appointed Acting Commissioner of Agriculture till 1982 when he was confirmed. This was highest position for a technical person of Agriculture in the Government service. In this position he was the chief technical Advisor to Government on Agriculture and Agricultural policy. He served in this position till retirement from Government service in August 1989 at the retirement age of 55 years.
He was also appointed Minister of Works, Housing and Urban Development in 1979.
From 1989 to 1998 he carried out several Consultancy studies for various Government Agencies, the FAO, UNDP and USAID on Agricultural related subjects.
He also served on the Boards of
- Kinyala Sugar Works
- Uganda Tea Growers Corporation
- Produce Marketing Board
- Uganda Medical Stores
He has travelled extensively during the execution of his duties across the world to Europe, East, West, North and Southern Africa, Asia, North America and Latin America.
He attended all the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) conferences and African Regional meetings from 1977 to 1985 in either Lead or Technical capacity. Attended meetings of the British Commonwealth Agriculture Ministers meetings, all the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) meetings and the 1979 Non Aligned Summit in Havana.
In 1998, he was elected unopposed by over 2000 delegates from Teso Uganda and Teso Kenya during the delegates conference held in Soroti, to be EMORIMOR PAPA ITESO. A position he has held to date.
Emorimor is a traditional cultural office which has been in existence amongst the Iteso for time immemorial. The main responsibility of EMORIMOR is to nurture all Iteso to ensure that the value system observed by Iteso is protected and promoted. He ensures that unity and harmony prevail amongst the Iteso and their neighbors.
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