At a post-budget meeting where the Economic Policy Research Center released their report assessing of the FY2023/24 agro-industrialization programme budget towards provision of agricultural extension, Lawrence Kasenge who heads the agriculture desk in Ministry of Finance admitted that extension services were not budgeted for.
Initially, it was a role of women and children to carry out farm activities while the men were either in the kraals looking after livestock or resting under the trees as they waited for meals.
But with the current insecurity that resulted in the loss of animals, the men have resolved to join their women in the gardens to produce food for sustaining the family.
The 1.5 square kilometre valley dam is being constructed through the Ministry of Agriculture as part of the strategic plan to address water challenges and improve the food value chain and commercial agriculture in Teso and Karamoja. The facility is expected to provide water for livestock and crop resources in the area.
Abdu Mugisha, a senior agro-business officer in the MAAIF and a technical person in the FIEFOC-2 project, said they are creating awareness among farmers on where they can access different services, and the district production department will be the coordinating center for these market linkages.
Peste des petits ruminants – PPR, a viral disease closely related to rinderpest virus affecting goats and sheep is characterized by fever, wounds on the goats, flu and diarrhea which led to death of animals.
According to the Ministry, the field survey findings will help them in planning for an effective intervention plan depending on the level of disease spread.
Luwero district is experiencing heavy downpours, albeit after a prolonged dry spell. However, according to research, such changes in weather patterns, often come with an increase in moths, aphids, mites and blossom weevils.
The farmers argue that the idea of bankrolling each parish Savings, Credit Cooperatives Societies (SACCOs) with 30 million shillings to be used in addressing individual challenges of each of the benefiting individuals, is likely to cause less impact on the lives of farmers.
Robert Sande Mubiru, another farmer planted maize on five acres of land at Shillings 1.7 million. However, his garden has withered by the time our reporter visited the garden.
Alice Nannungi, the Masaka City Women Councilor representing Nyendo-Mukungwe demands that as the government commits funds to finance the PDM projects, it also makes deliberate interventions to secure markets and attractive prices for the produces that will be generated from the beneficiary groups.
Peter Loruk, a farmer in Panyangara sub county kotido district says although the armyworms haven’t destroyed anything yet, he’s worried of planting the only available seeds in the garden because the pest may destroy it yet he doesn’t have any reserve seeds.
As the price for a kilo of meat drops to 3,000 shillings in Nakasongola markets, Sam Kigula the LC 5 Chairperson of Nakasongola district has listed the most affected sub counties as Nabiswera, Lwabyata,Nakitoma and Lwampanga.
According to the guidelines, the Government contributes between 25% and 75% of the total cost of the irrigation equipment whereas the farmers contribute 25%-75% depending on the type of scheme they need to install.
Government has given the occupants a one-month ultimatum to vacate the 14,000 hectares that formally belonged Sango-Bay Sugar Estates Limited, to pave way for the expansion of the National Oil Palm Project-NOPP which is implemented under the Ministry of Agriculture.
Margret Lapaka, one of the affected farmers in Paicho Sub County says they are struggling to pay the extension workers in the District 5,000 shillings for each animal to get vaccinated.
Finance Minister, Matia Kasaijja, says the country is facing a problem of market for local goods, which has resulted in surplus yet farmers are ignoring calls for change. Some of the rejected products include milk, eggs, sugar and maize among others.
The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) member states have finally endorsed the implementation roadmap for the IGAD transhumance protocol that will allow cross border pastoralism.
Parliament today unanimously rejected the proposal to deregister coffee farmers who fail to meet standards set by Government in regards to coffee growing.
