Methods of farming to blame for food shortage
May 18, 2011
EDITOR: Ugandans of all walks of life are complaining about high food prices in the country. The opposition pressure group, Action for Change has decided to 'walk to work' to protest the high prices.
EDITOR: Ugandans of all walks of life are complaining about high food prices in the country. The opposition pressure group, Action for Change has decided to 'walk to work' to protest the high prices.
While the Government says the high prices are caused by high demand for food by our neighbours and the drought we experienced, the problem might be elsewhere. I suspect food shortage is not only caused by the previous drought and high demand but also by the new methods of farming, the new seeds and low funding by the Government to the agriculture sector.
The new seeds of beans and maize, for example, come out well one season but the next season the yield is very low.
The new seeds are not friendly to African conditions where seeds are kept in bans and replanted the next season. Failure by these seeds to stay in the ground and in the bans for long has contributed greatly to the food crisis.
The new methods of agriculture implemented by PMA and NAADS do not seem to be good enough for our soils. I appeal to the Government to increase budget allocation to the agricultural sector and stop using certain seeds.
James Ategeka Mugarama
ategekajames@gmail.com
While the Government says the high prices are caused by high demand for food by our neighbours and the drought we experienced, the problem might be elsewhere. I suspect food shortage is not only caused by the previous drought and high demand but also by the new methods of farming, the new seeds and low funding by the Government to the agriculture sector.
The new seeds of beans and maize, for example, come out well one season but the next season the yield is very low.
The new seeds are not friendly to African conditions where seeds are kept in bans and replanted the next season. Failure by these seeds to stay in the ground and in the bans for long has contributed greatly to the food crisis.
The new methods of agriculture implemented by PMA and NAADS do not seem to be good enough for our soils. I appeal to the Government to increase budget allocation to the agricultural sector and stop using certain seeds.
James Ategeka Mugarama
ategekajames@gmail.com