Government trains 40 farmers on walking tractor usage

Sep 07, 2016

The training will boost agricultural productivity in the region

Forty farmers in Karamoja have been trained on how to use walking tractors, which the Government donated to the region through the Office of the Prime Minister.

While launching the training held at Nabuin, Lorengedwat sub-county in Nakapiripirit district, the Napak resident district commissioner, Nahaman Ojwe said Karamoja had been insecure since the colonial era owing to the availability of spears and guns.

"That is why the region was known for hunger, killings as well as rustling," he said adding that because of the insecurity government could not do a lot for the region to help people develop.

He however, hailed the residents for having co-operated in the pacification of Karamoja, which is important in the development of the region.

Ojwe asked the farmers not sell of the tractors adding the assets were significant among the communities.

The executive director Nabuin Zonal Agricultural Research Institute -Nabuzardi, Dr Paul Okullo, said the training would boost agricultural productivity in the region.

He said the tractor would also help improve food security as the region is still suffers hunger.

"We have demonstrated that crops can grow in Karamoja after we held trials," he noted.

Okullo said through partners, the breeds of crops and livestock have been improved to ensure families are not affected by weather changes.

 

He added that the support given by government to the establishment had risen by eight percent adding that the investment in the institution is to boost agriculture.

Jackson Angella, a beneficiary and a farmer in Rupa sub-county hailed the walking tractors.

He said he would use his tractor to prepare gardens come the next season in March next year.

He asked government to avail heavy duty tractors at the sub-county to meet the increasing demand for garden opening in Karamoja.

The farmers trained in the effective usage of the walking tractor, how to reduce repair costs and increase its lifespan.

Others included making farmers confident on walking tractors by preparing a tractor for work, start and work with the tractor in transporting building material, shelling maize as well as mounting a plough disc.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});