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OPINION

By Adrine Katusiime

During the Easter season, President Yoweri Museveni and his wife, Maama Janet Museveni, hosted farmers from the districts of Kazo and Kiruhura at their country home of Rwakitura.

Prior to their visit, the famers toured the model farm of Mr Richard Nyakana in Rwengaju in Fort Portal, who earns over sh188m per annum from one acre of land, on which he does dairy and poultry farming.

In his address to farmers, President Museveni advised that everyone must participate in wealth production by embracing commercial agriculture with the proper businesses.

He appealed to politicians to prioritise bringing their people out of poverty through commercial agriculture.

The President’s message is timely and of great importance to the people of greater Bushenyi and Uganda in general.

Greater Bushenyi is characterised by fertile soils and favourable climatic conditions, hence well-suited for agriculture.

However, inefficiencies in farming practices hinder its full agricultural potential.

The current state of farming is characterised by traditional methods, with limited adoption of modern techniques such as mechanisation, irrigation and soil conservation.

Farmers face challenges such as inadequate access to inputs, limited market access, low productivity, post-harvest losses and vulnerability to climate change and pests. Yet Greater Bushenyi has immense opportunities and untapped potential for crop diversification, value addition and agro-processing industries. What is required is leveraging technology.

We must promote the adoption of modern farming technologies such as precision agriculture, drones for crop monitoring as well as mobile applications for weather forecasting and market information. In the case of small-scale Irrigation technology, technologies like micro furrows and micro basins can be employed for efficient water management. These systems allow for even water distribution and infiltration, which is vital for crops requiring consistent soil moisture.

It is also pertinent to enhance education and training — strengthening agricultural education and extension services to provide farmers with practical knowledge and skills in modern farming techniques, crop management and business development. In addition, improving market access by establishing agricultural co-operatives, market hubs and agro-processing facilities to facilitate access to markets, reduce post-harvest losses, and increase farmers’ bargaining power.

Promoting sustainable practices is also vital. We must encourage the adoption of sustainable farming practices such as conservation agriculture, agro forestry and organic farming to enhance soil health, water conservation and biodiversity.

Climate change adaptation strategies include using climate-smart information and conservation techniques to manage the effects of climate change. For coffee production, for example, shade tree planting, trenching, mulching and cover crops are recommended to mitigate negative impacts. Besides, facilitating access to financial services such as credit, insurance and savings schemes to enable farmers to invest in inputs, equipment and technology upgrades.

Also, of importance is conducting training workshops, demonstrations and farmer field schools to build the capacity of farmers, extension workers and agricultural professionals.

Organisations like Opportunity International train farmers in good agricultural practices and business management, which is critical for improving yields and addressing poverty in rural Africa.

In all this, leaders must advocate policies and regulations that promote sustainable agriculture, facilitate market access and provide incentives for agricultural innovation and investment.

That must be in tandem with monitoring and evaluation frameworks to track progress, measure impact and identify areas for continuous improvement. It is also essential to solicit feedback from stakeholders, farmers and communities to ensure that interventions are responsive to their needs and adaptable to changing circumstances.

In conclusion, enhancing farming in Greater Bushenyi requires a multi-faceted approach as elaborated above. Once that is achieved, Greater Bushenyi has the agricultural potential of triumphing as the food basket of Uganda.

The writer is an accountant and hails from Sheema district