Tractors to open up 200 acres in every sub-county in Teso

Sep 16, 2009

THE agriculture ministry through the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) has asked private sector tractor operators to open up more land to increase food production in Teso.

By Ronald Kalyango

THE agriculture ministry through the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) has asked private sector tractor operators to open up more land to increase food production in Teso.

Under the recently launched ‘tractor hire scheme’ farmers under the NAADS programme will have their land opened up by private service providers contracted by the programme at the sub-county or community level.

Agriculture minister Hope Mwesigye expects that at least 200 acres of land will be opened up in every sub-county in Teso this financial year.

“Opening up land for farming should be done urgently and the agriculture minister will monitor its implementation,” said Dan Kilimani, the NAADS engineering support assistant.

Kilimani was recently sensitising district officials from Bukedea, Kumi, Soroti and Kaberamaido about the tractor scheme. Sensitisation was also carried out in Katakwi district and was attended by Amuria district officials.

“We must start implementing the tractor scheme during the on-going planting season,” said Kilimani.
He said the NAADS programme aimed at ending hunger in Teso. “The land that is opened up should be planted with food and cash crops. We don’t want to see more hungry people in the region.”

Kilimani added that this financial year, sub-counties would receive additional funds from the scheme.
He explained that the tractor hire scheme was not a new method of work, but that NAADS had introduced a new model.

Under the NAADS model, private sector players are supposed to open land for farmers at the sub-county or community levels after which they are paid for their services using the Integrated Support to Farmer’s Groups (ISFG) funds.

ISFG is one of the components of the Rural Development Strategy designed to strengthen activities done by NAADS.
Kilimani said Hoima registered a lot of success after the inception of the tractor hire scheme in the district in 2003.

Hoima district NAADS coordinator Dr. Scola Bwali and Bussisi sub-county NAADS coordinator Bernard Nuwamanya said the inception of the tractor hire scheme increased food production, especially rice, in the district.

Bwali said the production of rice increased from 800kg per acre in 2003 to about 2,000kg per acre.

“Farmers were constrained by shortage of labour and dependence on rudimentary tools, like hand hoes, which greatly reduced their yields,” said Bwali.
She explained to Teso district officials that the success in Hoima showed that the tractor hire scheme would also benefit them. Bwali also told the farmers to concentrate on the production of high value crops.
Kilimani disclosed that the tractor hire scheme would also be introduced in other parts of the country.

Kumi district production coordinator Dr. Alfred Onyait disclosed that they had been using oxen and ox-ploughs to open up land, but that the animals had been attacked by the foot-and-mouth disease.

Kaberamaido chief accounting officer Joseline Adongo commended the scheme, saying farmers in the district wait for the rain to soften the soils for three weeks before opening up the land for planting.

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