KOLE, March 14, 2024 – The Woman Member of Parliament for Kole district Judith Alyek, has emphasised the need for farmers in the district to adopt agricultural mechanisation to boost farm productivity, and increase household incomes.
According to Alyek, cultivation in Uganda is labour-intensive, with smallholder farmers employing hoes to cultivate the land. This, she said, is very strenuous and time-wasting, which is a major constraint to commercial production.
She made the statement early this week while handing over one walking tractor, and 11 handheld tractors to cooperative societies in Kole district. The tractors were donated by the Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries [MAAIF] in a ceremony held at the district headquarters.
The tractors were handed over to the farmers in the presence of Kole Resident District Commissioner [RDC] , Josephine Omara Olili, Kole District LCV Chairman, Andrew Moses Awany, Chief Administrative Officer Emmanuel Wamburu and the District Agricultural Officer, Maclean Otim, among other government officials.
Alyek said the tractors are in fulfillment of the National Resistance Movement [NRM] Manifesto of shifting Ugandans from substance agriculture to commercial agriculture.
“We are aware that the President [President Museveni] has been preaching over about the Four-acre Model. So, in fulfillment of his vision, government through the Ministry of Agriculture is currently distributing tractors across the country,” she said.
She explained that under the NRM Manifesto, every district in the country will receive one big tractor while each sub-county will receive a handheld tractor to be managed by a selected Savings and Credit Cooperative Society [SACCO], but will be used by the entire community in order to increase farm production and ensure food security.
According to MAAIF, the handheld tractor has the capacity to till three acres of land using three litres of fuel per day and can also be used to pump water for irrigation.
On his part, Kole North MP, Samuel Opio Acuti said 80 percent of the land in Uganda is suitable for agriculture but only 35 percent is being used for the same.
Acuti noted that the donated the tractors will increase the volume of agricultural produce, and lead to improved household incomes.
The MP added: “Farmland can be substantially increased through mechanisation. Mechanisation directly increases farm yields, and the labour can substantially be reduced if the farmers have access to or use tractors and other agricultural equipment.”
On his part, Awany, applauded government for supporting farmers with handheld walking tractors and urged the farmers to embrace mechanised agriculture so that they can produce more food for home consumption, and sale.
“I want to thank government so much but i pray that they give every village a tractor to boost farm production,” he said.
He added: “More farm production means more produce will be delivered on market.”
On his part, the District Agricultural Officer Kole, Maclean Otim said the donation of tractors has come at the time when the district is struggling with a limited number of tractors. He said before the new tractors arrived, Kole district had only five big tractors serving the farmers.
According to him, use of ox-ploughing is predominant in the district is facing a number of challenges such as theft of animals, making it hard for people to keep oxen.
“These tractors will go a long way to promote agricultural mechanisation. That means farmers will be able to open their land early and plant in time to avoid losses,” said Otim.
However, RDC Josephine Omara urged the beneficiaries to ensure that the tractors serve their intended purpose. “These tractors are going to be in sub-counties, I want you [farmers] to use them very well. If you misuse them, you are going to be in trouble. I don’t want these tractors being misused,” she said.
Uganda is listed among the least countries in the world in terms of mechanised agriculture because use of machinery is still very low to meet to the rising demand of food, as stipulated by the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation [FAO].
https://thecooperator.news/govt-offers-tractors-to-farmers-in-alebtong-district/
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