Stop growing tobacco â€" Banyoro told
Nov 01, 2009
THE information minister, Kabakumba Masiko, has told the people of Bunyoro to stop growing tobacco, saying it was no longer a profitable venture.
By Pascal Kwesiga
THE information minister, Kabakumba Masiko, has told the people of Bunyoro to stop growing tobacco, saying it was no longer a profitable venture.
She said some people had grown tobacco for several years in her Bujenje constituency in Masindi district but they had remained poor.
Her remarks came at the time when over 5,000 tobacco farmers in Hoima district were protesting the delay by a local firm, Continental Tobacco, to pay them over sh3b.
Kabakumba was opening a three-day agricultural exhibition organised by Hoima Caritas Development Organisation, an arm of Hoima Catholic Diocese, at Boma grounds in Hoima town on Thursday.
The minister explained that tobacco growing can only be carried out by farmers with large chunks of land and urged those with little land to embark on mixed enterprises, which is being supported by the Government.
“The growing of such crops is no longer possible because they need a lot of land, which we don’t have,†Kabakumba said.
She cautioned religious leaders against becoming involved in active politics, telling them to focus on initiating projects which would promote economic and spiritual development among their followers.
“We take you as people who are next to God and once you join politics, you make statements which confuse the people and you should be ready to face the challenges,†she said.
The Rev. Fr. Birungi, the executive director of the church organisation, said they had trained farmers in modern farming methods in Masindi, Kibaale, Buliisa and Hoima districts.
He said the exhibition was intended to showcase the modern methods of farming and find market for products from farmers under the organisation.
THE information minister, Kabakumba Masiko, has told the people of Bunyoro to stop growing tobacco, saying it was no longer a profitable venture.
She said some people had grown tobacco for several years in her Bujenje constituency in Masindi district but they had remained poor.
Her remarks came at the time when over 5,000 tobacco farmers in Hoima district were protesting the delay by a local firm, Continental Tobacco, to pay them over sh3b.
Kabakumba was opening a three-day agricultural exhibition organised by Hoima Caritas Development Organisation, an arm of Hoima Catholic Diocese, at Boma grounds in Hoima town on Thursday.
The minister explained that tobacco growing can only be carried out by farmers with large chunks of land and urged those with little land to embark on mixed enterprises, which is being supported by the Government.
“The growing of such crops is no longer possible because they need a lot of land, which we don’t have,†Kabakumba said.
She cautioned religious leaders against becoming involved in active politics, telling them to focus on initiating projects which would promote economic and spiritual development among their followers.
“We take you as people who are next to God and once you join politics, you make statements which confuse the people and you should be ready to face the challenges,†she said.
The Rev. Fr. Birungi, the executive director of the church organisation, said they had trained farmers in modern farming methods in Masindi, Kibaale, Buliisa and Hoima districts.
He said the exhibition was intended to showcase the modern methods of farming and find market for products from farmers under the organisation.