Youth give hope for agriculture amidst COVID-19

Aug 06, 2020

Article by Community Journalists - Network for Active Citizens (NAC)

Hyalo Nicholas is a resident of Laroo Division in Gulu city. The 29-year-old student of Gulu University is not one who will take the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic lying down. 'We can no longer continue lamenting and sitting back during this crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic. Every challenge that we face should be turned into an opportunity. Every Ugandan needs to wake up so that we do not face hunger again," Hyalo said.

And he is practicing what he is preaching. Hyalo has established a garden of tomatoes, onions, green pepper, carrots and sukumawiki. In Arua city's Pajulu Division, there are two women who seem to be reading from the same script with Hyalo. Nadia lddi and Ezaru Gertrude acknowledge the increase in demand for their maize and vegetables, especially during the COVID-19 lockdown. Due to lack of enough space, they have taken advantage of plastic bags, turning them into gardens, especially for some of the vegetables.

'The demand for vegetables has increased because supply to the markets reduced due to restrictions on public transport, which is the main means of getting the produce to the market. We are determined to produce more food to contribute to our family's consumption and sell the rest to raise money for our basic needs," Nadia lddi said.

Hyalo, ldd and Ezaru are just a few of the examples of the innovative young farmers in Gulu and Arua cities, who have taken the initiative to grow vegetables during the COVID-19 lockdown. In March, the Government announced a lockdown, as one of the measures to control the spread of the coronavirus. Not even restrictions on farming space have curtailed the quest of the youth for farming, especially in urban areas. Many of them have resorted to vertical method of farming and setting up plastic bags as gardens.

According to the 2020 World Population Review report, 146,858 and 55,585 people live in the new cities of Gulu and Arua, respectively. In the two cities, urban dwellers struggle to meet their food needs amidst the COVID-19 crisis. And there is no doubt that urban farming comes in handy to supplement the other sources of food for urban dwellers.

Everyone should rethink how land, whether small space or not, can be used for food production while adapting to and practising innovative and cost-effective farming methods. The innovative methods of farming already shown by the youth can improve on food security, provide nutritious values and contribute to reduction of climate change effects. CLICK HEREFOR MORE ON THIS STORY

 

 

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