Nabakooba kicks off free fertiliser initiative for Mityana tea farmers
A consignment of 1,000 bags of fertiliser, each weighing 50 kilogrammes, was handed over to district authorities and farmers by Lands, Housing and Urban Development Minister Judith Nabakooba.
Lands, Housing and Urban Development Minister Judith Nabakooba distributing free fertiliser from the government in a fresh intervention aimed at reviving a sector struggling with falling production, poor prices and rising input costs. (Courtesy)
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More than 200 smallholder tea farmers in Mityana District are set to receive free fertiliser from the government in a fresh intervention aimed at reviving a sector struggling with falling production, poor prices and rising input costs.
A consignment of 1,000 bags of fertiliser, each weighing 50 kilogrammes, was handed over to district authorities and farmers by Lands, Housing and Urban Development Minister Judith Nabakooba.
A total of 230 smallholder tea outgrowers have been listed as beneficiaries following a verification exercise to establish their eligibility.
The government recently launched the countrywide free fertiliser distribution campaign to boost production. For starters, Uganda procured 173,913 bags of fertiliser from ITRACOM Fertilisers for distribution to targeted farmers.
The program targets smallholder farmers growing cocoa, coffee, tea, as a commercial crop plus other recommended crops under the Parish Development Model (PDM), such as maize, Cassava, bananas, beans and millet.
Ministry of Agriculture describes the smallholder farmer as a person growing crops on land d below five acres.
On Friday, September 18, Minister Nabakooba, who is also the Mityana District Woman MP, said the consignment will restore hope among farmers who had abandoned their gardens after losing hope due to declining prices on the international market.
“There has been an outcry for revamping the tea sector in our district. Tea farmers had abandoned their gardens and lost hope because of the declining prices for tea on the international market,” she told huge crowds of farmers at
A release from her district office states that Nabakooba urged farmers whose fields are either abandoned or overgrown to clear and restore them ahead of the next planting season this month.
“Prices have been dropping because of poor farming methods, but the government is coming to our rescue. Let’s ensure that the fertilisers are given to the intended beneficiaries,”
She tasked the district production department to conduct due diligence, ensuring that the fertilisers reach genuine farmers.
At the event, the minister also warned leaders responsible for distributing the fertiliser against selling the inputs or demanding money from beneficiaries.
“This is a donation from the President. Let no one ask for money from you. When you receive it, use it wisely.
Commercial tea companies would not benefit from the consignment because they had the capacity to purchase their own agricultural inputs,” she said.
The minister also explained that whereas Mityana had not been included among priority districts with tea farmers, she presented proof of the existence of more than 200 families who depend on the crop for their livelihoods.
“When I raised the issue, farmers in this area were incorporated,” she revealed amidst applause.
The minister also revealed that the government would soon also distribute more than 4,000 bags of fertiliser to coffee farmers under the Parish Development Model.
The minister said President Museveni had also promised financial support to farmers and pledged to continue reminding him about the commitment.
The district production officer Daniel Sseremba said the number of tea farmers in the district had been declining due to fluctuating prices and the high cost of agricultural inputs.
“During our recent meeting with the President (Yoweri Museveni), he promised to revive the tea sector to boost sales and prices. All the interventions you see are done on his guidance. The initial intervention was intended to increase production, improve yields and encourage farmers to return to their gardens,” he said.
At the unveiling of the Mityana consignment, Uganda Tea Outgrowers Association vice-chairperson Gordon Ssematiko Katende said many farmers had been on the verge of abandoning tea because of the high cost of fertilisers and poor returns.
Inadequate fertiliser application, he added, had affected both production and the quality of tea, making it difficult for local farmers to compete in the international market.
“The prices had fluctuated because farmers were not applying fertilisers in their gardens. The quality of tea comes directly from the garden,” he stressed
Mityana LCV chairperson Joseph Luzige commended Ms Nabakooba for raising farmers’ concerns and urged beneficiaries to restore their gardens.
“Let’s make sure we realise the government’s dream. For those having bushy gardens, clear them for a new season,” he said.