Award winner to train farmers at Vision Group Expo

Jan 06, 2017

According to Robert Kabushenga, the chief executive officer, the farmers’ expo slated for February 17 to 19 at Mandela National stadium Namboole is aimed at introducing to the public to modern methods of farming, with a focus on irrigation.

 Dr. Jolly Kabirizi at her farm

The award-winning agriculture researcher, Dr Jolly Kabirizi, will be one of the trainers at the Vision Group's Harvest Money Agriculture Expo slated for February 17 to 19 this year at Namboole stadium.  

 

Dr Jolly Kabirizi, one of the Vision Group's 2014 Best Farmers competition finalists, recently won an award for promoting and disseminating Agriculture research technologies for over 20 years.

 

 

Dr Kabirizi was recognised during the joint conference organised by the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO) and Makerere University, which was held in Kampala, Uganda recently.  

 

"Since the 2014 Best Farmers competition, I have been visited by over 3,000 farmers from across the country. I will be at the expo to continue with this training," Kabirizi says.

 

Dr Kabirizi, an agriculture researcher practices what she preaches. During the first Best Farmers competition held in 2014, she was among the finalist on account of her model zero grazing dairy unit in Seguku, Wakiso district. She has been working as an agriculture researcher since the late 80s.

 

 


Dr. Kabirizi has presented over 60 scientific papers and technical reports and published over 30 scientific papers in reputable journals and workshops.  She has won several awards and her contribution towards poverty alleviation in resource poor households, particularly the women is documented in her PhD Thesis, scientific papers, technical reports and local and international newspapers. 

She is one of the top women agricultural development expert and a highly skilled forage animal nutrition scientist expert in Uganda. She has been involved in the training and dissemination of technologies to over a million farmers. 

Commending about Kabirizi's contribution, Ssalongo Ddaaki, from Masaka said: "Her work changed the way we viewed agriculture. We have since adapted some of the technologies that she gave us; including planting grass for our cattle and making nutrient feed blocks for them." 

 




Vision Group hosts Farmers' expo                                                                                                                                                                                                By Joshua Kato                                                

One of the practices affecting Ugandans is the failure to put their businesses in the faces of the consumer.

 This is why Vision Group has organized a big agriculture expo to help bring farmers, dealers and other stake holders together at an expo.

 The expo is set for February 17 to 19, 2017 at Namboole Stadium, near Kampala.

"The expo/show will be a one stop centre for everything that a farmer needs for effective farming," Robert Kabushenga explained.

 The expo will provide opportunities for marketing agriculture produce, farm inputs and knowledge.  It is a must attend for both farmers and dealers in agriculture products, adds the Vision Group's Chief Executive Officer Kabushenga.  

 

Visitors will pay sh10, 000 for a tour of the show and sh20, 000 per day to attend training sessions. But to attend the training sessions, a person will have to book in advance.

 

Special arrangements will be made for school children and students to visit the expo on Friday 17th February at a special rate. But they will have to pay for the entrance in advance. Booking can be made at Vision Group offices.

 

The expo, among other things, is intended to equip farmers with marketing skills for their agriculture produce in order for them to maximize returns from their investment.

 

The farmers will get opportunity to meet and share experience with their counterparts and establish network for future collaboration.

 

 "We are setting up a pool of experts who will be answering all the questions about farming," says Kabushenga.

 

There were be experts on issues ranging from poultry, cattle keeping, coffee, tea, vegetable farming, cereals like maize, piggery, goat keeping to irrigation. Furthermore, experts will give tips on agriculture financial literacy, access funding for farming projects among other issues.  

 

Why it is important for every commercial farmer, agro-inputs dealers to attend the expo

 

The expo will be widely covered by all New Vision's platforms that include newspapers, radio stations, television and online.

 

-Farmers expos expose you to a wide market that you did not know existed. This is because hundreds of show goers visit the show purposely to find produce to buy. Depending on your presentation, you can attract some of them.

 

-There are many exhibitors who are expected to show case new innovations in the sector. These include researchers in seeds for example, livestock breeders, machinery etc.  This means that if you visit the show, you will be able to learn about these innovations.

 

"It is a very good idea and we shall come and teach farmers on how to look after livestock," an official from the National agriculture Research Organisation (NARO) said.

 

-The farmers' expo is like a competition amongst farmers and dealers. If you exhibit, you will be able to gauge yourself against your fellow farmers. Naturally, such health competition makes the competitors better because they then start working to be the best.

 

-Exhibitors tend to bring the very best of their products to the shows, compared to what they sell in the open market. This means that as a farmer who wants to acquire certain inputs, you can get the very best from the show.

 

-Exhibitors sell the products during the show at much lower prices compared to the prices on the market. Therefore, if you want cheaper but good inputs or produce go and visit the show.

 

-Sharing knowledge can never end even amongst the most intelligent people. There is no better ground of sharing this knowledge than at the farmers show.

As part of the expo, the 2016 Best farmers' competition winners will be unveiled and honoured.

 

"The judges have completed visiting the selected farmers and are now in their final selection process. The winners will be announced during the expo," says David Mukholi, special projects manager at the Vision Group.

 

The ten regional winners will share sh150m in form of farm implements and a learning trip to the Netherlands. The competition is sponsored by Vision Group, the Embassy of the Netherlands, DFCU bank and KLM Airlines.

 

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