Training institute for farmers launched

Most farmers carry out their activities, be it keeping livestock or poultry, crop or fisheries production, do it on subsistence or semi-subsistence scale. So, there is need to encourage these farmers to practise agriculture as a business enterprise to attract a competitive market for their produce.

One such initiative is a facility supported by South Korea and administered by Ministry of Agriculture, which is found at Kampirigisa, Mpigi District. It trains farmers to embrace commercialised agriculture.

Known as National Farmers Leadership Centre (NFLC), it was officially launched on July 20, with Dr Jee Hyeong-Jin, the co-director, laying the workplan for 2016/2017.

He pointed out that NFLC targets to train farmer leaders from across the country in improved agricultural technologies for increased production. The target is 925 farmer leaders per year. It will generate its own income for day-to-day operations, raising some of it from payment for the trainings by, especially those sponsored by various organisations.

The acting principal Mr Francis Paul Odeke, explained that the ministry is set to construct two staff structures at a cost of Shs875m. An extra three acres have been acquired in addition to 40 acres already under NFLC. Shs750m has been committed to mainly staff recruitment and construction.

Stakeholders who attended the launch tasked the team to ensure practicability on the side of farmers after acquiring knowledge. Also, that the service should not only be extended to Ugandan farmers, but East Africa and beyond.

“The initiative has the potential to make application of improved agriculture possible but farmers have the responsibility to produce agricultural goods for wealth creation,” said the Korean ambassador to Uganda Park Jong- Dae. “The major aim is to sensitise farmers to be productive in their activities, which should be sustained by the farmers themselves.”