Farmers need regional agricultural shows

Jun 22, 2016

Otim said it is not easy to root out people from traditional agriculture unless they are exposed to exhibitions.

By Lawrence Okwakol  

Ugandan farmers need more agricultural shows at regional level in order to elevate the status of peasant farmers to middle productive ones.

This is according to Richard Otim, a retired primary teacher who has engaged in commercial farming in Kibale sub-county in Pallisa.

He was speaking at the annual convention on pesticide safety exhibition organized by Uganda National Association of Community Occupational Health (UNACOH) in conjunction with the Pesticide use, Health and Environment project (PHE).

It was at Kyoga Hotel in Pallisa.

Otim said it is not easy to root out people from traditional agriculture unless they are exposed to exhibitions where they can interact with progressive farmers and given tips on the proper use of pesticides, fertilizers and marketing.       

"When extension workers who are no longer in the sub-counties used to train farmers they could expect transport refund yet it would have been farmers to thank the facilitators", he said.        

Stephen Anguria, the Pallisa district coordinator of UNACOH said they organized this year's annual event in Pallisa to equip farmers with ways of handling pesticides and also join the organization for better services.         

Anguria said Pallisa is one of the districts where farmers don't follow proper utilization and storage of pesticides - which puts lives at risk.         

"The number of deaths resulting from taking pesticides being stored in places of residence is registered high in Pallisa. I am happy farmers from as far as Kampala, Wakiso, Kibale and Mbarara were here to share with you their experiences," he said.

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