Mubende farmers receive seeds, training

At a time when the lockdown is affecting many economic activities including agriculture, farmers in Mubende, Kakumiro, and Kyenjojo districts have started a campaign in which they will engage in modern agricultural practices.

Mmax investments, a private company dealing in agriculture especially in grain has launched the campaign in conjunction with ABi, a non-government organisation.

In this campaign, farmers in the three districts are to receive free modern seeds and will also be trained in the best agricultural practices.

"We do not want any coin from the farmers but we only need their time to be trained and time to fully engage in farming. We are ready to support them so that they can earn more," Jesca Kashumba, a director with MMax said.

She was speaking at the launch of the distribution of seeds at Birembo sub-county headquarters in Kakumiro district on Saturday.

As the campaign starts, farmers in the three districts are being given beans seeds and fertilizers and also guided on how best to grow them.

Kashumba said they will further train the farmers in post-harvest practices and will buy all the products.

"At the end of the day, if a farmer follows all the steps well and produces good grains, we are ready to buy them," Kashumba said.

Abubaker Birungi, the Birembo sub-county LC 3 chairperson commended the company for the support and promised to mobilise his farmers to fully engage in farming.

"Sometimes the quality of seeds has been a problem but now that we have received this and were to be trained, we shall put in more efforts to dig," he said.

Other farmers who received the seeds and fertilizers vowed to use them well and thanked the company for the support.

"I always find a problem to find the best seeds and sometimes we lack knowledge of how to grow some crops. As we are now being supported, we shall ensure that we follow what is being taught to us," Shallon Kyampire said.