Alebtong farmers ask for more NAADS money
Residents of Alebtong town have asked the Government to increase its funding for the National Agriculture Advisory Services (NAADS) programme in the next financial year budget.
By Patrick Okino
Residents of Alebtong town have asked the Government to increase its funding for the National Agriculture Advisory Services (NAADS) programme in the next financial year budget.
The residents, who received seeds of beans, soya beans, simsim and citrus seedlings on Monday in Alebtong town, said inadequate funding was affecting production.
They also argued that the programme would create an impact if the number of beneficiaries was increased.
Alebtong LC3 chairperson Steven Nyanga said last financial year, 100 farmers per parish benefited from food security, market-oriented and commercial farming under NAADS but the number was reduced to 50 this year.
“Reducing the number was not good. They should have increased it because NAADS is a good project that will eradicate poverty and fight food shortage,” he said.
In the financial year 2011/2012, the Government allocated sh133b for commercialisation of improved seeds and planting materials for farmers in the country.