Ngetta ZARDI realises poor farm yields
LIRA– Ngetta Zonal Agricultural Research and Development Institute [ZARDI] in Lira City, one of the government agencies implementing the project for massive production in the country, has registered poor harvests in the first phase of the project.
Briefing NARO governing council members at the institute during their visit to assess the project’s progress, Dr. Barnabas Mudde, the acting director, said they will not realise the expected yields as a result of late planting and changes in weather.
In August last year, Cabinet took a decision to carry out immediate short and medium-term strategies to produce food and feeds for livestock. It approved Shs 176 billion to enhance the production of four major food crops: maize, soybeans, beans, and sorghum.
Six agencies, NARO, Uganda Prisons Service, Uganda People’s Defence Forces, National Enterprises Corporation, and National Animal Genetic Resources Centre & Data Bank [NaGRC&DB] were identified to implement the project.
However, Dr. Mudde, said heavy rains flooded maize fields which resulted in the rotting of the seeds, resulting in low maize yields.
“The activities began late and this affected performance of crops because the expected yield from soybean of 0.5 tons per acre is unlikely to be met,” he added.
At the beginning of the planting season, Ngetta NZARDI expected 1000 tonnes of soybean and 1000 tonnes of maize out of 165 acres opened.
The farm manager, Micheal John Kodet said the institute lacks planters, adding that they took three weeks to plant the maize, using hand hoes.
He said the maize which was meant for seed production yielded small cobs, meaning the grains are small and not good for replanting.
“Right we cannot give it to farmers for planting. It is spoiled and should be given to feed animals,” he added.
https://thecooperator.news/utilise-pdm-to-embrace-urban-farming-lira-city-residents-urged/
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