By Ibrahim Kasita

DEADLY pests have attacked a major organic cotton demonstration and research farm, dimming further the chances of the practice taking root.

According to Geoffrey Okudi, the field supervisor at the pilot farm, the pests invaded the nine-acre farm at the Loro Government Prisons Farm in Lira district over a week ago.

The farm is operated by Dunavant, an organic cotton promoter in the area.

Organic farming is where pesticides are not used in pest and disease control, while conventional farming uses synthetic pesticides and feritlisers to control pests and diseases and boost crop production.

On-spot check by The New Vision over the weekend discovered that lygus and ballworms had destroyed the crop at the demonstration farm.

It was discovered that on averages 21 balls per plant station have been destroyed by pests while the missing fruiting points averaged 30 per plant station.

A fruiting point is what turns into a flower. Okudi said they have been spraying the crop with Nimbicide, an organic chemical.

“But what is disturbing is that the pests are spreading. This indicates the ineffectiveness of the ‘chemical’,” he explained.

He said when he informed his superiors at Dunavant about the problem, they told him to be patient, arguing that the chemical would work.

“I don’t have the powers to change the pesticides we use, but am sure this pesticide does not work.

“I can not use it to spray my personal garden,” Okudi said. He said the hyped anti-ballwarm pest trap is also not effective “because they do not eliminate the pests which lay eggs in the garden.” “In fact what is supposed to be a demonstration plot has become a breeding ground for the pests,” he warned.

Experts say about 714kgs of cotton per acre would be lost.

Organic farming has come under fire from legislators, the Cotton Development Organisation (CDO) and industry players who say it would lead to the collapse of the sector if encouraged.

The practice is promoted by non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and multinational companies in the north.

The region is traditionally the largest cotton growing zone in the country.

However, the CDO has discouraged the practice by providing pesticides to farmers at a subsidised prices.

Uganda’s cotton yields have declined over the years from 476,000 bales in 1969 to just 60,000 bales last year.

The advent of organic farming is one of the factors advanced by experts and industry analysts to have led to the decline of cotton production last season.

A large number of farmers in the north last season took up organic farming after they were convinced they would get better returns by organic cotton promoters.

However, the move proved disastrous because the crop was destroyed by pests and diseases.