Bundibugyo to get 450,000 apple seedlings

Farmers in Bundibugyo District are to receive 450,000 apple seedlings to boost their household income.
In preparation, officials from Ministry of Agriculture, Naads and National Agricultural Research Organisation (Naro) visited Kasese, Bundibugyo and Kabarole districts to train agricultural officers, extension workers and farmers in apple growing.
In Bundibugyo, those trained were from Sindila, Harugale, Bukonzo, Ndugutu, Kasitu and Ngamba sub-counties.
These will, in turn, train other farmers. Topics covered were orchard establishment, land preparation, planting, inducing dormancy, defoliation, pruning, pests and disease management.

Partnership
According to Grace Kazigati from Naads, government plans to pilot apple growing in three districts of Rwenzori region.
She said 450,000 seedlings will be supplied to registered farmers in Bundibugyo District in August.
“Naads and Operation Wealth Creation working in partnership with Naro and Bamwe Agri-technologies (from Rukungiri District) to make apple farming a success,” said Kazigati.
Denis Ashaba, one of the trainers from Naro’s Kackwekano research institute, noted the suitable conditions in the Rwenzori region for growing apples .
“Most of its areas are more than 1,500 metres above sea level, which is one of the criteria we use in selecting the districts,” he said.
To promote apples, there will be a sensitisation campaign to raise awareness about the fruit and its values to the farmers in the entire region, who will be targeted to take part in the initiative.

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