Youth decry lack of land for commercial farming
KABAROLE – Youth in Rwenzori Sub-region at large have appealed to government to provide them with land so that they can fully engage in commercial agriculture and fight poverty.
The young people said they are willing to embrace commercial agriculture to help them get out of poverty but the land challenge stood in their way.
“Most of us depend on our parents. We wait on our parents to share with us the little land they have, which is also not enough,” Cosmas Muhindo one of the youth from Kasese said.
He added that the government getS the region’s youth land to practice commercial agriculture, they will be able to get out of poverty.
“The government has a lot of land lying idle yet we the youth have nowhere to do agriculture from. Government can give us that land as a group we do commercial agriculture and we benefit as a group and I hope this will help us get our own money to buy our own land,” Muhindo said.
He said pressure on land in their families is too much because their parents have small pieces of land which they compete for as a family.
Rachael Bonabana, a youth from Kabarole district said the high commercial interest rates prevent the youth from borrowing to engage in agriculture.
“Government should engage financial institutions to provide us with affordable agricultural loans. Because we don’t have enough money, we are unable to invest in agricultural inputs like irrigation systems and fertilizers,” she said.
She appealed to government to train the youth on how to use small pieces of land to do commercial agriculture.
Patrick Muzinduki, the deputy director Kabarole Research and Resource Centre [KRC] said youth want to engage in commercial agriculture but most land is owned by cultural institutions and government.
“As KRC, we want to engage cultural institutions and government and see how youth can apply for use of land that belong to these institutions and do commercial farming,” he said.
He added that some youth have acquired agricultural loans but due to unpredictable weather conditions, they have encountered losses.
He appealed to government to provide insurance for the youth.
However, the Fort Portal Central Division Member of Parliament, Alex Ruhunda challenged the youth to be innovative so that government can support them.
“You can earn a lot in doing innovative things and government is willing to support those innovations. Don’t sit there and wait for government to support you when you have nothing to show,” Ruhunda said.
Agriculture is the main economic activity in Rwenzori sub region.
https://thecooperator.news/mbale-youth-women-urged-to-join-saccos/
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