Banana wilt hits Bushenyi
Feb 04, 2009
RESIDENTS of Nyabubare sub-county in Bushenyi district are worried about the rate at which the banana wilt disease is spreading. Because of the disease, some families lack food.
By Chris Ahimbisibwe
RESIDENTS of Nyabubare sub-county in Bushenyi district are worried about the rate at which the banana wilt disease is spreading. Because of the disease, some families lack food.
Residents say they are waiting for the Government to provide pesticides to eradicate the wilt. The LCI vice-chairperson of Itaaza II cell, Daniel Ruterahururu, said: “Our eyes are on Government. We have tried to cut down affected banana plantations but the disease has persisted.â€
Ruterahururu said the chief administrative officer had met farmers but no solution was provided.
He said some farmers had decided to cut and bury the affected plants.
“We are tired of the teams that visit us to see what is happening without acting on the situation,†a farmer said.
The district agricultural officer, Jeninah Tumushabe, said there was no medicine for the disease, except uprooting the infected stems.
“Some are uprooting infected plants but others are refusing to and this has caused the disease to spread,†Tumushabe said.
Monday Rwanga, an agricultural officer, said they resolved to handle the disease like an epidemic.
The symptoms of the disease include fruits ripening when immature, male buds rotting, brown stains inside the fruit, yellow leaves and yellow fluids flowing from the stem when cut.
RESIDENTS of Nyabubare sub-county in Bushenyi district are worried about the rate at which the banana wilt disease is spreading. Because of the disease, some families lack food.
Residents say they are waiting for the Government to provide pesticides to eradicate the wilt. The LCI vice-chairperson of Itaaza II cell, Daniel Ruterahururu, said: “Our eyes are on Government. We have tried to cut down affected banana plantations but the disease has persisted.â€
Ruterahururu said the chief administrative officer had met farmers but no solution was provided.
He said some farmers had decided to cut and bury the affected plants.
“We are tired of the teams that visit us to see what is happening without acting on the situation,†a farmer said.
The district agricultural officer, Jeninah Tumushabe, said there was no medicine for the disease, except uprooting the infected stems.
“Some are uprooting infected plants but others are refusing to and this has caused the disease to spread,†Tumushabe said.
Monday Rwanga, an agricultural officer, said they resolved to handle the disease like an epidemic.
The symptoms of the disease include fruits ripening when immature, male buds rotting, brown stains inside the fruit, yellow leaves and yellow fluids flowing from the stem when cut.