Fake NAADS inputs hit east
Oct 31, 2010
LEADERS from eastern Uganda have petitioned the agricultural ministry to intensify surveillance on counterfeit agricultural inputs on the market if the second phase of the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) is to succeed.
By Daniel Edyegu
LEADERS from eastern Uganda have petitioned the agricultural ministry to intensify surveillance on counterfeit agricultural inputs on the market if the second phase of the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) is to succeed.
Speaking during a stakeholders’ workshop at Mt. Elgon Hotel in Mbale on Friday, the leaders said the fake agricultural inputs on the market were partly to blame for the paltry achievements registered during the first phase of NAADS.
Andrew Magombe, the Sironko NAADS coordinator, cited the common fake items as adulterated pesticides, fertilizers, duplicate spray pumps and coffee pulping machines.
He noted that because farmers in rural areas cannot differentiate genuine from fake inputs, most had fallen prey to unscrupulous dealers.
“The fertilisers are mixed with sand or ash and are packaged in the brands of genuine products. The seeds are sprayed with ordinary colours to dupe farmers that they are treated seeds. The fake inputs normally fail to yield the expected output and cause farmers to incur double losses of repaying the NAADS money despite reaping no benefits,†Magombe said.
Initially, the production department used to sample the inputs supplied to the NAADS groups before endorsing payment. However, suppliers would present the department with genuine inputs for verification and supply the fake inputs to the farmers.
As such, the Government changed strategy where the department jointly verifies all the inputs expected to be supplied to the farmers with the district internal security office.
Districts have also devised a mechanism of accrediting genuine input traders to whom they direct the farmers for easy tracking.
But Magombe noted that not all farmers are capable of accessing the genuine dealers.
Bob Opio, the acting Napak resident district commissioner, said aggrieved farmers often report the fraud to security personnel either after a long time or without evidence to back up their claims.
Agriculture state minister Henry Bagiire urged the district leaders and security personnel to intensify the monitoring of NAADS, adding that the ministry would fully operationalise the crop protection department to weed out the fake inputs on the market.
LEADERS from eastern Uganda have petitioned the agricultural ministry to intensify surveillance on counterfeit agricultural inputs on the market if the second phase of the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) is to succeed.
Speaking during a stakeholders’ workshop at Mt. Elgon Hotel in Mbale on Friday, the leaders said the fake agricultural inputs on the market were partly to blame for the paltry achievements registered during the first phase of NAADS.
Andrew Magombe, the Sironko NAADS coordinator, cited the common fake items as adulterated pesticides, fertilizers, duplicate spray pumps and coffee pulping machines.
He noted that because farmers in rural areas cannot differentiate genuine from fake inputs, most had fallen prey to unscrupulous dealers.
“The fertilisers are mixed with sand or ash and are packaged in the brands of genuine products. The seeds are sprayed with ordinary colours to dupe farmers that they are treated seeds. The fake inputs normally fail to yield the expected output and cause farmers to incur double losses of repaying the NAADS money despite reaping no benefits,†Magombe said.
Initially, the production department used to sample the inputs supplied to the NAADS groups before endorsing payment. However, suppliers would present the department with genuine inputs for verification and supply the fake inputs to the farmers.
As such, the Government changed strategy where the department jointly verifies all the inputs expected to be supplied to the farmers with the district internal security office.
Districts have also devised a mechanism of accrediting genuine input traders to whom they direct the farmers for easy tracking.
But Magombe noted that not all farmers are capable of accessing the genuine dealers.
Bob Opio, the acting Napak resident district commissioner, said aggrieved farmers often report the fraud to security personnel either after a long time or without evidence to back up their claims.
Agriculture state minister Henry Bagiire urged the district leaders and security personnel to intensify the monitoring of NAADS, adding that the ministry would fully operationalise the crop protection department to weed out the fake inputs on the market.