OWC gives 4000 kg of beans to Bushenyi locals for planting

BUSHENYI – Bushenyi district has received a consignment of 4000 kilograms of beans for planting from Operation Wealth Creation (OWC).

The consignment was received on Wednesday by a number of district officials including; the LCV Chairperson, Resident District Commissioner (RDC), Deputy Resident District Commissioner (RDC), District Internal Security Officer (DISO), Agriculture Officer, and OWC Officers among others.

While receiving the beans at the district headquarters, Ms Jane Asiimwe Muhindo, the RDC said that the inputs were delivered on time unlike in the past when other inputs had been coming late past the planting season. She noted that the supplies will go a long way in helping farmers eradicate food insecurity.

The NABE 17 beans variety packed in 10kg bags will be given to selected farmers in 14 sub-counties according to Patrick Kamwezi, the District Agriculture Officer (DAO), who added that the beans were certified by the Ministry of Agriculture.

Kamwezi, noted that the seeds shall be taken through germination tests to verify their efficacy since the supply is intended for seed multiplication.

Hassan Basajjabalaba, the Chairman LC V Bushenyi district local government thanked the government for thinking about the wananchi during the planting season when rains have started to flash in the district.

He appealed to the farmers to plant the given seeds rather than thinking about eating them on spot.

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“No one should take these maize seedlings and keep them for food because this is a planting season and planting such maize means you are planting the future food basket because they will multiply and feed many others,” said the district Chairman.

Relatedly, farmers in Rwampara district have been asked to plant the maize seeds that were donated by the government to ensure food security and to fight poverty.

The call was also made by legislators hailing from Rwampara district, Hon. Molly Asiimwe, Woman Member of Parliament and Hon. Julius Tusiime Karuhanga, Rwampara East, Member of Parliament while handing over 9 tons of maize seeds to farmers in the area.

Molly Asiimwe noted that the government is trying to ensure food is available and poverty is eradicated.

“We are fighting with poverty and hunger where you find our people only work for the stomach. Now that we have given you the maize seedlings in time, go and plant these seedlings to chase poverty out of your homes,” Asiimwe said.

In his remarks, Julius Tusiime Karuhanga promised farmers that he will bring experts in agriculture to sensitize them on post harvest handling and to get a market for their goods.

“If you harvest quality seeds then you are rest assured of good money. So, we are going to get trainings for our parish committees to have modern harvesting habits to avoid aflatoxins which kill agricultural markets,” he explained.

During his term of office, Julius promised to work on feeder roads to be motorable for the buyers to access farmers’ produces directly from the farms.

Also, in Mbarara City, Ritah Atukwatsa, the area Woman Member of Parliament called upon farmers to be ready with their gardens for planting as the rainy season starts.

She made the remarks while delivering 3 tons of maize seeds to farmers in Mbarara city on Monday.

Atukwatsa said that to be food secure, farmers need to plant in time so that they can get more yields at the end of the season.

She appealed to the beneficiaries to plant the seedlings but not to sell them.

Kyabwisho Gumisirisa, the Mbarara City North Mayor, promised to distribute the seeds to farmers so that farmers can start early planting.

“We used to get a challenge where NAADs and OWC officials used to estimate wrong season timings for the input deliveries and it would all go to waste. But now that these seedlings have come on time, we shall distribute them to our farmers most especially in areas of Kichwamba, Nyarubungo, Bugashe and Katojo,” Kyabwisho explained.

“We are assured that if the season goes well December-January, we shall be having much maize in the market as a result of such free distributed seedling to us,” he added.

Ketty Atuhaire, one of the beneficiaries from Ruti Ward, Market Cell, promised to plant the given maize seedlings such that she can get what to feed on in the coming months.

She thanked the legislator for thinking about them during the planting season.

“We want to thank our woman MP and pray that if she gets more, she can bring to the people of Mbarara City because this is the exact planting season most especially to us women who are food baskets for our families in this region,” said Ketty.

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