Government to set up regional machinery centres for farmers
The agriculture ministry is now urging large-scale farmers to invest in food production to ensure food security to increase food production to feed local and international markets.
The ministry of agriculture has committed to establishing regional agricultural machinery centres to enhance sector mechanization, reveals State Minister for Agriculture Fred Bwino Kyakulaga.
Kyakulaga made the revelation while handing over 11 tractors to small-scale farmers secured by Heifer International at Lugogo, in Kampala. Heifer is helping finance the acquisition of technology used in the agriculture sector.
The government is carrying out a reinforcement exercise that will lead to agricultural mechanization. Kyakulaga says regional machinery centres will be managed by extension workers.
The agriculture ministry is now urging large-scale farmers to invest in food production to ensure food security to increase food production to feed local and international markets.
“All our efforts have been with small-scale farmers but currently, through the parish development model, we are focusing on turning small-scale farmers into large-scale farmers. But as we do so, we are likely to face the challenge of food scarcity,” he highlighted.
William Matovu, the Country Director of Heifer International, said at least 80% of Uganda’s arable land is hand-hoe facilitated. This, he said, limits the rate of productivity in the sector.
He noted that there is limited access to finance and inadequate knowledge about modern agricultural practices. These are the main challenges affecting farm yields, he said.
“We have enabled several farmers to achieve decent incomes, especially in areas where we have a footprint. Between last year and 2030, we want to make sure we can support 400, 000 families in Uganda to achieve a decent income,” Matovu said of their efforts.
Heifer International has started arranging tractors they are going to give out to small-scale farmers at subsidized prices and to pay in instalments.
With the dynamic weather conditions, the government, working with partners, is piloting strategic interventions like modern irrigation methods to ensure food security.
