Project introduces plant clinics to help farmers in Karamoja fight crop pests and diseases

ENTEBBE – A joint effort, dubbed Plant Clinics, to fight crop pests and diseases in Karamoja Sub-region by extending quality extension services and information for early warning and anticipatory action to farmers in the sub-region has been launched.

Plant clinics, an effective approach to provide extension services in other parts of the country will be introduced in Karamoja, thanks to efforts by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations [FAO] in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industries and Fisheries [MAAIF], with funding from the European Union, under the auspices of the joint FAO and UN World Food Programme [WFP] Strengthening Shock-responsive Systems in Karamoja [PRO-ACT] project.

Dr Charles Owach, representing FAO in Uganda while speaking at the handover of the Plant Clinic Kits at MAAIF offices in Entebbe, said that rolling out of plant clinics is particularly important to bolster the effectiveness of the work of extension workers, reaching out to smallholder farmers to address the challenge of crop pests and diseases.

“It is critical that we recognise the challenge of pests and diseases in agriculture, especially to smallholder farmers, and institute early warning and response systems to aid prevention and management of pests and diseases,” he said.

“Acting in anticipation of pests and diseases will save more lives and livelihoods,” said Nadia Cannata, Head of Sustainable Development at the EU Delegation. “The EU believes that this type of investment in preventative action makes sense. Investments in early warning systems like this is one of the key objectives under the PRO-ACT project.”

The Under Secretary in MAAIF, Ronald Ssegawa Gyagenda said that the government of Uganda adopted Plant health clinics in 2005 as an agricultural extension approach to provide advisory services to farmers with operations in 94 districts to date.

“The kits we have received from FAO will expand MAAIF’s plant health clinics operations to cover the nine districts of Karamoja Sub-region. We applaud FAO and the EU for providing the kits, in addition to training 74 agriculture extension workers who are ready to work as “Plant Doctors,” he said.

To support the introduction of plant clinics in Karamoja, under the PROACT project FAO has procured a set of equipment for each district. The items were handed over to MAAIF and will subsequently be distributed to all the nine districts in Karamoja. They include tents, tables, chairs, caps, banners, knives, hand lenses, T-shirts, Lab overcoats, digital microscope, insect sweep nets, drop-down cloths, Waste disposal bins, stainless steel scissors, and a prescription books, among others.

According to FAO global estimates, every year, up to 40 percent of food crops are lost due to crop pests and diseases.

A 2017 study on crop pests and disease management in Uganda estimates crop losses due to pests and diseases at 10-20 percent [pre-harvest]; 20-30 percent [post-harvest]; and up to 100 percent for perishable crops and export crops.

Plant clinics is a tested extension approach globally. In Uganda, the approach has been tested for monitoring, information sharing and facilitating management of crop pests and disease.

Through plant clinics in Karamoja, FAO will promote and strengthen the delivery of plant health advice to farmers and facilitate monitoring of pest and disease prevalence and reporting of new pests and diseases. “This will support both provision and uptake of early warning information for the multi-hazard early warning system established under PRO-ACT as well as support formulation and implementation of anticipatory actions by both extension workers and communities/farmers.”

The clinics will be operated by trained plant doctors through MAAIF’s extension structures.  The approach is part of the nationwide agricultural innovation system on plant health. Governments like Uganda adopted the initiative, and plant clinics have been implemented by MAAIF in other parts of the country except Karamoja.

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