Rugunda tips farmers on modern farming methods

By Donald Kiirya

THE Prime Minister of Uganda, Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda has strongly urged farmers in Mayuge district and those from Busoga sub region to practice modern commercial farming in order to increase production on their farms.

Rugunda delivered the message through leaders in Mayuge district as he was inspecting Eastern Dairy Farm owned by Aggrey Bagiire, the national chairperson of NAADS at Bugodi village in Mayuge district on Sunday.

He said farmers need to adopt science and technology in their farming methods in order to increase production, add value to them in order to change their lives. 

Rugunda who also visited Bagiire’s forage and hay site in Bulondo village in Buwaya sub-county asked farmers who rear dairy cows at their homes to engage in productivity of forage and hay, which they will feed their animals during the dry seasons and also increased milk production.

“With this enterprise I have seen at Bagiire’s home, Mayuge is on the rise in development and I urge youth to visit this farm and embrace his modern farming methods so that they can practice them at their homes,” Rugunda said.

He further urged youth to engage in the Operation Wealth Creation program so that they can benefit from it and get in-calf dairy cows they will rear.

He commended the work of UPDF officers in managing Operation Wealth Creation program in Busoga under their coordinator, Lt. Col. Oguli Dhamuzungu that aims at transforming lives of Ugandans and increase house hold incomes.

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The National chairperson of NAADS Aggrey Bagiire (left) explaining to the Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda (2nd left) how he makes silage from his Eastern Dairy Farm
            
He urged residents to continue supporting the National Resistance Movement (NRM) and President Yoweri Museveni.
Bagire said he has over 100 Friesian dairy cows and over 100 calves.

He urged farmers who are into dairy farming to use the productive breeds of dairy cows in the smallest land available and also give the right feeds.

Bagiire said Busoga sub region has lost out in terms of agriculture to the increase of production and lack of land adding that they are putting emphasis on dairy farming and asked the Office of the Prime Minister to add the region more dairy cows.

“We at the Eastern Dairy farm are ready to work with people and teach them the modern techniques they should apply on their farms in order to increase milk production,” Bagiire said.

He said they milk 700 liters from 29 animals on a half an acre of land adding that the dairy cows are fed on silage, hay, concentrates and Napier grass.

Present during the Prime Minister’s visit was the Mayuge district L.C V chairperson Omar Bongo and James Lwerimba, the Extension Service Consultant in Dairy farming and also director of World Wide sires Uganda.

Bongo asked government through the office of the Prime Minister to turn Eastern Dairy Farm into a demonstration modern farm for dairy farmers in Eastern region.

He also emphasized the need for distribution of more cows in Mayuge district saying that sometime back in this year, farmers complained of not getting any cows as they were few.

Bongo requested farmers to start up the hay/Silage business as they prepare to indulge in the dairy cattle business. 

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