Uganda the pearl of Africa, a country blessed with arable land and good weather through out the year, shouldn’t fail to feed her people. The food basket supposedly ought to be over-flowing with enough to boast of in agricultural exports. Unfortunately, this is not the case! The current talk of procuring thousands of hoes perhaps isn’t empty. Hoes are indispensable to every farmer as they have a special role they play in the gardens and on farms. However, to scale up the agriculture sector and make it a more sustainable and lucrative venture, a lot has to be considered.
Strategic and massive investment in the agriculture sector; sadly, this remains among the lowest ranked sectors in the national budget. Due to low funding, there is lack of implementation of many poverty reduction and enterprise selection in this area, shortage of facilitation in recruitment of necessary staff at local government levels, lack of continuous funding for technology development, research and finding working solutions to challenges like water shortage as well as proper post-harvest handling measures.
Sheltering domestic farmers from importation of similarly produced goods: Much as Uganda concurs with the free market economy syndrome, there is need to protect domestic farmers from unfair competition. Allowing unrestricted importation of cheap subsidised agricultural produce is not only detrimental to the farmers but to the economy as well. Such a move, only takes away the entire local market for local producers who end up in debt, landless or even bankrupt. Consequently, failing to support our own farmers depicts less interest in promoting agriculture.
Promoting indigenous farming methods; not every thing modern and new is always the best; we miss the point if we trash all indigenous farming methods in lure of modernity. Re-thinking agro ecological approaches to agriculture is necessary. Methods such as intercropping, increases the organic matter content of soils, crop rotations, agro-forestry systems and integration of plant and animal production are all-time honoured practices of farming.
For example, rotating cereals with legumes fixes nitrogen in the soil for use by other plants while interplanting low-growing legumes with cereal helps to maintain soil fertility without necessarily applying fertilisers.
Furthermore, agro-ecological systems protect and conserve the soils as well as ensure better water management and harvesting. These methods also enhance biodiversity. Genetic diversity in turn increases resistance to pests and diseases.
Integrating crops and animals on the same farm allows the return of organic matter to the fields. Using ducks or geese in rice farming, for example, can reduce weeds without herbicides. Such environmentally sustainable forms of farming nurture rather than exploit resources needed for long-term food production.
Importantly, there is also need for production systems which rely more on locally available inputs. Farmers cannot benefit from technology and inputs which are not available, affordable, or appropriate for their conditions. Purchased inputs like pesticides, fertilisers and even high technology seeds, present special problems and risks for less-secure farmers- who are the majority.
Investment in the development of input and output markets, in agricultural extension services and in applied agricultural research are vital to agricultural development in every economy.
Diversifying agriculture; by boosting commercial livestock farming, marketing and processing. Additionally, fully exploiting the great potential there is in fisheries, forestry and agro forestry albeit in a very sustainable manner with concern for the environment.
All in all, Uganda’s several regions are gifted differently thus, different agricultural activities thrive better in certain parts of the country yet they may fail in others. Therefore, this calls for targeted research so that each region can be supported accordingly. Reviving cooperative societies and setting up an agricultural bank will go a long way in promoting agriculture.
rkatham@yahoo.co.uk
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