MPs under their umbrella body of Greater North Parliamentary Forum have demanded that government expedites the process of having in place a policy on Pastoralism to enable communities benefit from cattle keeping.

Speaking during their meeting with the civil society to discuss what they term as salient issues which should be in the policy, the forum secretary general Dr. Peter Eriaku (MP Kapelebyong)says the pastoralists communities have been left out despite pastoralism being their economic livelihood.

He says due to lack of a policy on pastoralism, little is realized from especially the communities that herd cattle like Karamoja, Teso and Lango among others.

Eriaku argues that once in place, planning for such pastoralist communities will be made easy as the policy will also enhance revenue collection from the milk and beef products to supplement taxes from cigarettes and beer as of current.

The pastoralism policy was proposed during the Africa region level meeting in 2010 but, members of the forum express concern that its draft has been in the custody of the ministry of agriculture for long without possible access by stakeholders.