KIKUUBE, June 22, 2025 –– The Kikuube district LCV Chairman Peter Banura has called on agricultural extension workers to step out of their offices and actively engage with farmers in the field, providing guidance on best farming practices to help them fully benefit from agriculture.
Speaking recently during the handover of five dairy heifers donated by the Office of the Prime Minister through the Ministry of Bunyoro Affairs, the Chairman, Banura urged extension officers to fulfil their roles effectively. The donation is part of a government initiative to promote dairy farming in the region.
Banura commended the government for the generous support, noting that the distribution of 15 cows among selected farmers would help boost milk production in the district.
However, he highlighted the need for regular follow-up by extension workers, especially in advising farmers on animal health and crop disease management. He warned that, despite the good intentions behind livestock donations, animals often die due to farmers’ lack of skills and knowledge in handling them.
“While the farmers received training before getting the animals, there’s still a need for continuous support and empowerment to ensure these cows survive and deliver on their purpose of fighting poverty. Extension workers must leave their offices and visit farmers regularly to understand the challenges they face,” he urged.
The Kikuube Resident District Commissioner, Arnest Kaliisa, also encouraged farmers to embrace government programmes in support of President Museveni’s call for the adoption of the four-acre farming model, rather than focusing solely on sugarcane cultivation.
He stated that if farmers utilise initiatives like the Parish Development Model, and Emyooga programmes funds, they would be in a better position to implement the four-acre model, which Museveni has consistently promoted as a pathway to increased household income.
Banura praised the government’s support, stressing that the donation is a testament to its commitment to uplifting household incomes. He called on the beneficiaries to take proper care of the cattle to ensure they fulfil their intended purpose.
Faridah Ndagano, the Kikuube District Communication Officer, explained that the selected farmers were chosen from a large pool of applicants based on land ownership. The donation, she added, aims to promote and demonstrate the viability of the four-acre model. Each beneficiary received one heifer, with selections made across all sub-counties and town councils in the district.
The recipients expressed joy and gratitude, noting that the heifers are costly and would have been out of reach without government support. They said the animals would enable them to increase their income through milk production and commended the National Resistance Movement [NRM] government for the poverty eradication initiatives, pledging to take good care of the cattle.
https://thecooperator.news/ag-faults-ministry-for-shortage-of-agricultural-extension-workers/
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