Ignorance, poverty hinder use of inputs
Jan 25, 2009
USING improved agriculture inputs is one of the best ways of modernising agriculture. However, more than 95% of Ugandan farmers do not use improved agriculture inputs, according to a survey, Gender Disaggregated Data for Agriculture.
By Joshua Kato
USING improved agriculture inputs is one of the best ways of modernising agriculture. However, more than 95% of Ugandan farmers do not use improved agriculture inputs, according to a survey, Gender Disaggregated Data for Agriculture.
The survey found out that 75.5% of farmers were not using improved seeds. It was also found out that 85% were not using hybrid seeds, while 93.1% were not using herbicides.
The survey further revealed that 91.9% were not using fungicides, while 83.4% were not using pesticides. It further discovered that 94.5% were not using improved animal feeds, while 75.2% were not using veterinary drugs.
The figures look similar with almost all classes of farmers, including the elderly, the married and single. Among adult farmers who use inputs, it was established that the main source of inputs are shops and local vendors, at 50% for male farmers and 48% for female farmers.
Other sources include agriculture officers at 11% and 13% for males and females respectively, veterinary officers at 9.4% and 9.6% for males and females respectively, markets at 16.6% and 15% for male and female farmers
respectively.
Agriculture researchers/ the National Agricultural Research Organisation only provide 3.7% and 3.8% inputs for male and female farmers respectively. Other sources are cooperative societies at an average 2%.
According to the survey, there are several reasons why farmers do not use farm inputs. The majority of them said they lacked knowledge about the input, while others said the inputs were too expensive or not available.
About 34% said they lacked knowledge about improved seeds while 29.2% said the seeds were too expensive. A similar number said the seeds were not available.
About 43% said they lacked knowledge about hybrid seeds, while 30.2% said the seeds were too expensive, yet 28.2% said the seeds were not available. The percentages are almost similar with artificial insemination, fungicides, pesticides, animal feeds and veterinary drugs.
Soroti district, with 58%, had the largest number of farmers who lacked knowledge about farm inputs, followed by Sembabule at 52%. Kapchorwa, with an average of 60%, had the largest number of farmers who claimed the inputs were too expensive, followed by Iganga, Kamuli and Luweero districts.
Scope of inputs usage
At 5% usage, Uganda lags behind most agricultural countries in the use of farm inputs, including fertilizers. The international average is around 25%.
The impact improved farm inputs can have on agriculture is well documented. For example, while a hectare of ordinary maize yields about 800kg, improved seeds in Uganda yield between 1.5 and two tonnes.
In the developed world where every input is improved, a hectare yields about eight tonnes. This means a Ugandan maize farmer requires four acres to produce the amount produced by modern farmers in the developed world on one acre.
Therefore, using improved inputs should be the focal point of developing the agriculture sector. In Uganda, only 20% of farmers use improved seeds, hence the poor yields every year.
Given the fact that on average a farmer in Uganda has about three acres, the use of improved inputs would ensure high yields on such a small piece of land.
Most of the seeds in circulation are saved from the previous yields.
“I save the best seeds, clean them and keep them for the next planting season,†explained Sam Okello, a farmer in Oyam, northern Uganda. This is common practice countrywide.
However, experts explain that even if a farmer initially planted improved seeds, the yields lose at least 50% of the multiplication abilities after harvest.
It is not surprising that farmers complain about poor yields. This is because Uganda has got around five active seed-processing firms, and the seeds produced in these firms are not enough for all the farmers. The seed processing firms include FICA seeds, Elgon Seeds, Kahangi.
The seeds are sold in retail outlets in trading centres across the country. “I buy from Wobulenzi or Luweero trading centre,†says Christine Kizito of Nakaseta in Nakaseke. Like most farmers, Kizito complains of the high cost and quality.
“I need sh50,000 to buy maize for an acre of land, which is not affordable for an average farmer,†she says.
Last year, Frank Tumwebaze, the president of the Uganda National Farmers Federation, lamented that farm inputs, especially chemicals, are too expensive for farmers.
“They are not only expensive, but also unavailable in many parts of the country,†he said.
Though expensive, those who use hybrid seeds say the benefits are worth the price.
Sam Mukalazi of Kikyusa says: “I planted two acres of hybrid maize seeds and more acres of ordinary seeds, but the hybrid seeds withstood weather changes more easily.â€
According to statistics, only 6% of Ugandans use fertilisers on their farms. Low use of fertilisers is partly linked to the fact that Uganda has got relatively fertile soils, so there is no need to use fertilisers.
USING improved agriculture inputs is one of the best ways of modernising agriculture. However, more than 95% of Ugandan farmers do not use improved agriculture inputs, according to a survey, Gender Disaggregated Data for Agriculture.
The survey found out that 75.5% of farmers were not using improved seeds. It was also found out that 85% were not using hybrid seeds, while 93.1% were not using herbicides.
The survey further revealed that 91.9% were not using fungicides, while 83.4% were not using pesticides. It further discovered that 94.5% were not using improved animal feeds, while 75.2% were not using veterinary drugs.
The figures look similar with almost all classes of farmers, including the elderly, the married and single. Among adult farmers who use inputs, it was established that the main source of inputs are shops and local vendors, at 50% for male farmers and 48% for female farmers.
Other sources include agriculture officers at 11% and 13% for males and females respectively, veterinary officers at 9.4% and 9.6% for males and females respectively, markets at 16.6% and 15% for male and female farmers
respectively.
Agriculture researchers/ the National Agricultural Research Organisation only provide 3.7% and 3.8% inputs for male and female farmers respectively. Other sources are cooperative societies at an average 2%.
According to the survey, there are several reasons why farmers do not use farm inputs. The majority of them said they lacked knowledge about the input, while others said the inputs were too expensive or not available.
About 34% said they lacked knowledge about improved seeds while 29.2% said the seeds were too expensive. A similar number said the seeds were not available.
About 43% said they lacked knowledge about hybrid seeds, while 30.2% said the seeds were too expensive, yet 28.2% said the seeds were not available. The percentages are almost similar with artificial insemination, fungicides, pesticides, animal feeds and veterinary drugs.
Soroti district, with 58%, had the largest number of farmers who lacked knowledge about farm inputs, followed by Sembabule at 52%. Kapchorwa, with an average of 60%, had the largest number of farmers who claimed the inputs were too expensive, followed by Iganga, Kamuli and Luweero districts.
Scope of inputs usage
At 5% usage, Uganda lags behind most agricultural countries in the use of farm inputs, including fertilizers. The international average is around 25%.
The impact improved farm inputs can have on agriculture is well documented. For example, while a hectare of ordinary maize yields about 800kg, improved seeds in Uganda yield between 1.5 and two tonnes.
In the developed world where every input is improved, a hectare yields about eight tonnes. This means a Ugandan maize farmer requires four acres to produce the amount produced by modern farmers in the developed world on one acre.
Therefore, using improved inputs should be the focal point of developing the agriculture sector. In Uganda, only 20% of farmers use improved seeds, hence the poor yields every year.
Given the fact that on average a farmer in Uganda has about three acres, the use of improved inputs would ensure high yields on such a small piece of land.
Most of the seeds in circulation are saved from the previous yields.
“I save the best seeds, clean them and keep them for the next planting season,†explained Sam Okello, a farmer in Oyam, northern Uganda. This is common practice countrywide.
However, experts explain that even if a farmer initially planted improved seeds, the yields lose at least 50% of the multiplication abilities after harvest.
It is not surprising that farmers complain about poor yields. This is because Uganda has got around five active seed-processing firms, and the seeds produced in these firms are not enough for all the farmers. The seed processing firms include FICA seeds, Elgon Seeds, Kahangi.
The seeds are sold in retail outlets in trading centres across the country. “I buy from Wobulenzi or Luweero trading centre,†says Christine Kizito of Nakaseta in Nakaseke. Like most farmers, Kizito complains of the high cost and quality.
“I need sh50,000 to buy maize for an acre of land, which is not affordable for an average farmer,†she says.
Last year, Frank Tumwebaze, the president of the Uganda National Farmers Federation, lamented that farm inputs, especially chemicals, are too expensive for farmers.
“They are not only expensive, but also unavailable in many parts of the country,†he said.
Though expensive, those who use hybrid seeds say the benefits are worth the price.
Sam Mukalazi of Kikyusa says: “I planted two acres of hybrid maize seeds and more acres of ordinary seeds, but the hybrid seeds withstood weather changes more easily.â€
According to statistics, only 6% of Ugandans use fertilisers on their farms. Low use of fertilisers is partly linked to the fact that Uganda has got relatively fertile soils, so there is no need to use fertilisers.