Agriculture cannot be modernised with a hand hoe
Oct 28, 2010
EDITOR: I am a sub-county National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) coordinator. I often wonder where procurement decisions concerning technologies are made or arrived at.
Joe N. Kairumba
Fort Portal
EDITOR: I am a sub-county National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) coordinator. I often wonder where procurement decisions concerning technologies are made or arrived at.
First, I want to thank President Museveni for having intervened and directed NAADS to fund the renovation of the Toro Dairy Cooperative Society plant. The plant is not only benefiting farmers with a ready market for their milk, but the people of Fort Portal and beyond are consuming processed milk and other by-products like yogurt.
I know that each sub-county is allocated approximately sh100m every year and a big percentage is allocated for procurement of farm technologies. I also know that, for example, Burahya County has eight sub-counties and will soon have 10 making a total allocation of sh1b this financial year. I also know that a tractor costs between sh70-100m with its implements.
These facts indicate that each sub-county can afford to buy a tractor to save farmers from the hand hoe. Isingoma Kakiiza Amooti of Rwengaju in Busoro Sub-county has set an example we all need to emulate. With a tractor, he has been able to grow cassava on a mere 150 acres and reaped very good returns.
I, and many others, have argued in various fora that it is impossible to modernise agriculture without mechanisation. I have also shown that it is not a question of money but how it is allocated. Mr President, you have economically liberated the dairy farmers with a plant in Kabarole and in the same vein I request you to save us from the hand hoe and give us tractors.
Fort Portal
EDITOR: I am a sub-county National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) coordinator. I often wonder where procurement decisions concerning technologies are made or arrived at.
First, I want to thank President Museveni for having intervened and directed NAADS to fund the renovation of the Toro Dairy Cooperative Society plant. The plant is not only benefiting farmers with a ready market for their milk, but the people of Fort Portal and beyond are consuming processed milk and other by-products like yogurt.
I know that each sub-county is allocated approximately sh100m every year and a big percentage is allocated for procurement of farm technologies. I also know that, for example, Burahya County has eight sub-counties and will soon have 10 making a total allocation of sh1b this financial year. I also know that a tractor costs between sh70-100m with its implements.
These facts indicate that each sub-county can afford to buy a tractor to save farmers from the hand hoe. Isingoma Kakiiza Amooti of Rwengaju in Busoro Sub-county has set an example we all need to emulate. With a tractor, he has been able to grow cassava on a mere 150 acres and reaped very good returns.
I, and many others, have argued in various fora that it is impossible to modernise agriculture without mechanisation. I have also shown that it is not a question of money but how it is allocated. Mr President, you have economically liberated the dairy farmers with a plant in Kabarole and in the same vein I request you to save us from the hand hoe and give us tractors.