Lira agro-input dealers urged to promote use of PPE among farmers
LIRA, August 20, 2025 –– The Lira District Production and Marketing Officer, Thomas Okello, has called on agro-input dealers to actively promote the use of personal protective equipment [PPE] among farmers, warning that non-compliance with safety measures is putting farmers’ health at serious risk.
Okello emphasised that essential PPE such as gloves, face masks, gumboots and overalls must be used when handling and spraying agricultural chemicals on crops and livestock.
His remarks came during a recent meeting in Lira City, where Robinah Acio, Sales and Marketing Manager at Brownlee Agro-Inputs Limited, expressed concern over the widespread misuse of agrochemicals by farmers in Lira City and Lira district, many of whom neglect to wear appropriate protective gear.
“Many farmers continue to use hazardous chemicals on their farms without any protective clothing, which exposes them to serious health risks,” Acio said.
A full set of protective gear currently costs approximately Shs 80,000 in Lira City.
“We are seeing people suffer from illnesses like cancer due to misuse of chemicals without PPE. Yet many farmers say the gear is too expensive. As agro-input dealers, we must do more to promote the importance of using protective gear,” Acio added.
She encouraged dealers to integrate PPE into their product offerings and urged farmers to prioritise their health by using it consistently.
“It should be mandatory. Anyone selling agrochemicals must also stock and promote PPE. Farmers, in turn, must ensure they have face masks, gumboots, gloves, and overalls when spraying – because the chemicals they are handling have serious health consequences,” she stressed.
Acio also noted that Brownlee Agro-Inputs, in partnership with well-wishers, is working to make PPE more affordable for farmers, particularly those organised in groups.
“We are collaborating with partners to help subsidise the cost of protective equipment for farmer groups, so they can access it at a lower price,” she said.
Despite these efforts, some farmers said they still cannot afford PPE and are resorting to improvised alternatives.
Jimmy Agel, a resident of Bar Subcounty in Lira district, said he cannot afford the equipment due to competing family needs such as school fees, healthcare, and clothing.
Mel Owach, a tomato farmer also from Bar Subcounty, said he uses improvised protection while spraying his crops.
“I don’t have an overall, so I wear three shirts, two pairs of trousers, and use polythene bags as gloves when spraying my tomatoes,” he said.
Okello reiterated his warning to both farmers and agro-input dealers, urging compliance with safety standards.
“Farmers must use protective gears when spraying. And to the dealers, it is illegal to sell agrochemicals without also providing the necessary protective gear. We will work with the police to enforce this,” he warned.
https://thecooperator.news/bunyoro-farmers-irked-as-fake-agro-inputs-flood-market/
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