Dr. Richard Nduhuura, the state minister for trade and industry, has said Lango sub-region would benefit from the strategic intervention fund under the Africa Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA) if farmers went into cotton growing.

Nduhuura was last Saturday addressing the Lira branch executive of the Uganda National Chamber of Commerce and Industry at Town View Hotel.

"Lango region is blessed with fertile vast land to boost productivity of various crops. I am optimistic that if the people of Lango embarked on cotton and other crops they would have the opportunity to benefit a lot and fetch good money at the AGOA market," Nduhuura said.

He said the 17 year-old rebel war led by Joseph Kony in northern Uganda has drastically limited trade and development in districts of Gulu and Lira. He said northern Uganda had been the core region in agricultural production.

In a memorandum presented to him, the UNCCI officials said the majority of the people are engaged in peasant production.

"The lack of peaceful settlement in villages for production this has rendered business and trade a useless venture. This is due to impassable roads to other neighbouring districts," they said in the memo.

They appealed to the Government to address security in Lango to allow farmers settle down and produce various crops targeting the AGOA market.

They also said Lango sub-region is rated by the latest UNDP human development report has having 67% of the population below poverty level.