Mubuku farmers reeling as tomato pest ravages crops
The pest, identified as the tomato leaf miner—Tuta absoluta—destroys tomato leaves and fruits, causing them to rot completely and resulting in drastically reduced yields.
Husayfa Turyamureba one of the tomato farmers holding a sample of tomatoes affected by the leaf miner pest. (Photo by Samuel Amanyire)
Samuel Amanyire
Journalist @New Vision
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Farmers in the Mubuku Irrigation Scheme in Nyamwamba Division of Kasese Municipality are counting heavy losses following a devastating pest infestation in their tomato gardens.
The pest, identified as the tomato leaf miner—Tuta absoluta—destroys tomato leaves and fruits, causing them to rot completely and resulting in drastically reduced yields.
Speaking to New Vision on April 14, 2025, from his garden in Mubuku Phase I, farmer Huzayfa Turyamureba said nearly half an acre of his tomato crop is under threat, despite the significant investment he made in land rental and cultivation.
"Once it attacks your garden, you almost reap nothing," Turyamureba said.
He expressed concern over his ability to repay a loan he took from financial institutions to support his farming, fearing that his mortgaged property could be sold off.
"But again I have a family which I take care of," he added.
Another affected farmer, Prossey Nanansimbe, said the pesticide required to control the pest is expensive—costing about sh45,000 per tin—and is largely ineffective because the pest spreads easily to other gardens.
“I am even puzzled over which pesticides to use,” Nanansimbe said.
Farmer Lucky Tukamusherura appealed to the government to provide effective and affordable pesticides, and to implement strategic measures to eradicate the pest from the Mubuku Irrigation Scheme.
Authorities respond
Wilberforce Rukundo, a field agronomist at the Mubuku Irrigation Scheme, confirmed the pest outbreak and attributed its spread partly to farmers using seeds from infected plants.
"However, we are advising farmers to use crop rotation as the initial mitigation method to the vice," he said.
Asanairi Bukanywa, the Kasese Municipality agricultural officer, said the authorities plan to roll out awareness programmes for farmers and encourage the use of improved seed varieties from verified dealers.
“‘Commando seeds are drought and pest-tolerant. If farmers are linked to dealers with such varieties, we shall fight the challenge of pests and diseases,” he said.