Formulate policies that reflect the needs of society
Dec 11, 2014
An official from the Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries has called on policy makers to make policies based on research in particular areas so as to help the intended beneficiaries.
By Prossy Nandudu & Violet Nabatanzi
KAMPALA - An official from the Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries has called on policy makers to make policies based on research in particular areas so as to help the intended beneficiaries.
“In order to make a good policy we should be informed so that we can know the challenges and experiences so to make it better,” said Beatrice Byarugaba, the commissioner crop production and marketing in the Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries.
She was officiating at the meeting organized by IITA on policy formulation that will promote the intensification of farming in Uganda at the Kampala Sheraton Hotel in Kampala. This is being promoted through the Policy Action for Sustainable Intensification of Ugandan Cropping systems (PASIC) project under IITA.
Byaruhanga said that the agriculture land is not expanding and it is further losing soil fertility due to over cultivation and a growing population.
“Therefore helping government to come up with effective policies that provide wholesome information along the value chain looking at the needs of the communities so as to help them increase production,” said Byaruhanga.
She cited Tanzania and Zimbabwe which development policies in areas of fertilisers, but to date there is still low production simply because the policies where not developed wholesomely.
According to Simon Nsereko policy expert with PASIC project the meeting was aimed at discussing with stake holders the best policies that promote cropping systems that intensify production on a small piece of land.
Nsereko adds that some of the crops they are promoting presently include irish potatoes in the south western parts of the country including Kabale, Kanungu and Kisoro and rice in the Eastern districts of Butaleja, Bugiri and Tororo.