KIKUUBE, June 26, 2024 – Farmers in Kikuube district have appealed to the government to subsidise the prices of agricultural inputs.
The farmers said commercial farming cannot be achieved when agricultural inputs like seeds, fertilisers, and others are expensive, yet farmers have to incur other production costs such as labour, and transport.
Doline Ayebazibwe, a rice farmer in Kichaya village, Kikuube town council explained that when fertilisers are applied in the farmers’ gardens, they get bumper harvests, but the high prices hamper them.
She noted that a 50-kg bag fertiliser ranges from Shs 200,000-240,000 depending on the type needed, which she said is too expensive for most of the peasant farmers.
“If a farmer has like three acres for rice, he or she will need to buy fertiliers of Shs 1 million, and yet they have to pay works and buy seeds. This is failing many of us to use fertilisers even though our land has been overused and lost its fertility,” she said.
In the same vein, Charles Ngambeki, Chairman of Kikuube Development Farmers Association said that most of his members are finding it hard to purchase agricultural inputs due to high prices.
He noted that government had been supporting farmers with inputs under the Agricultural Cluster Development Project [ACDP] in the Agriculture ministry but the project has closed, leaving farmers in Kikuube district helpless.
The farmers raised their concerns in an interview with this reporter days ago as they were trained on the modern agronomic methods of rice growing organised by Makerere University in Kicaaya cell, Kikuube town council.
On his part, the Mayor of Kikuube town, Ibrahim Juma commended Makerere University for sensitising rice farmers on best agronomic practices, urging them to embrace commercial farming.
Juma noted that the land in the area has been overused and therefore needs replenishments such as artificial fertilisers, and manure if the farmers are to get better harvests.
He noted that the current farming season has seen farmers make losses because of the prolonged drought, calling upon government to support farmers to acquire irrigation equipment to mitigate effects of climate change.
He challenged farmers to work in groups so that they can benefit from government initiatives such as the Small-scale Irrigation Programme where government contributes about 75 percent of the funds to enable the farmer get a solar-powered irrigation system.
Meanwhile, Dr. Patrick Musinguzi, a researcher linked to Makerere University warned farmers against growing rice and other crops in wetlands, saying it has a negative impact on the environment.
He underscored the need for farmers to embrace upland rice growing, saying it gives good yields when supported with fertilisers.
Makerere University in partnership with Kikuube District Local Government, with funding from Africa Plant Nutrition Institute is implementing a projected dubbed Enhancement of Rice Productivity through Adaptation of Climate-smart Agricultural Options and Market Responsive Strategies in Uganda
The three year project which started in 2022 focuses on promoting the growing of upland Rice [NAMCHE5] which is highly nutritious and resistant to climate change.
https://thecooperator.news/government-cleared-to-acquire-funds-to-modernise-agriculture/
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