KCCA boosts city farmers

By Juliet Waiswa       

A total of 614 farmers in Makindye and Nakawa division have been supported with 50,000 Chicks and start up feeds to boost their household incomes.

Handing over the birds to the beneficiary farmers who converged at the divisions headquarters, KCCA’s executive director Jennifer Musisi challenged the beneficiaries against selling off the birds.

“I congratulate the beneficiaries and I appeal to you to attend to your stock in line with the guidelines that have been passed onto you by our technical officers. I urge you to take keen interest in the chicks do not sell them off like other people have been doing in the past,” Musisi warned.

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A farmer from Mutungo II parish, Nakkazi Hafiwa (left) receive chicks from the Chairperson of Nakawa Division Benjamin Kalumba (right) on Nov 3, 2014. Looking on are two area LC5 councilors Emiri Babirye and Adam Kibuka. Photo/Ronnie Kijjambu

Launching the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) Programme first batch of birds in Kampala, Musisi told the Farmer Forum Groups that she will endeavor to request government to increase NAADS funding to urban farmers saying that the programmes have registered success.

This is the first group of farmers to benefit in this first quarter as farmers in Kampala.

Over 1,188 farmers in Kampala will benefitted from NAADS in this first quarter.

She said that other divisions which will benefit from this project include Nakawa whose 276 farmers will receive 25,000 birds, while other divisions will receive inputs Musisi pledged to the groups from the five parishes of Salaam, Makindye II, Munyonyo, Wabigalo( Makindye ) and those from Nakawa I and II parishes.

She pledged to work hand in hand with the political leaders in order to lobby government for more funding in order to boost farming in the city.

“You are aware that UPDF is overseeing distribution of farm inputs under the NAADS program. For us we are going to insist that we manage our own projects because our performance track record.” She said.

She said under NAADS programme KCCA has received sh1.2bn this financial year for NAADS programmes.

The NAADS program for Kampala started in 2011/12 in its first month of inception sensitization programs were carried out in each of the five divisions during which 93 framer parish groups were formed in Kampala.

She informed farmers of other projects being handled by KCCA which include the Kyanjja Demonstration farm, the Kroilor chicken, a piggery, fish farming and the green house project.

Makindye Mayor Ian Clarke told the farmers to jealously guard their projects and protect it.

One of the beneficiaries, Sarah Magala from Salaam Parish said that the birds she received will boost her farm.