Butaleja Production Officer Advises Farmers to Grow Fruits
By Ambrose Wanagoli
The Butaleja District Production Officer, Ms. Amina Dugo, has advised farmers in the district to venture into fruit growing as a way of improving their livelihoods.
Speaking during a training session for farmers under the Smart Agriculture Transformation Project at Butaleja Town Council on Tuesday, Dugo said fruit farming has a ready market and can provide sustainable income for households.
She cited her own experience as a fruit farmer, revealing that she grows mangoes, oranges, avocados and passion fruits, which have proved profitable.
“Fruits have a ready market and can greatly improve farmers’ incomes if well managed,” she said.
However, Dugo noted that many farmers have been reluctant to engage in fruit growing due to the long period it takes for the crops to mature, as well as challenges such as pests and diseases.
She assured farmers that insecticides and pesticides are available to help control such challenges.
During the same training, the Crop Production Officer, Mr. Fred Weere, said the district had already registered a good number of farmers to benefit from the Smart Agriculture Transformation Project.
Weere explained that farmers interested in joining the programme must own at least one acre of land and have some existing plantations.
He added that farmers will be required to contribute 20 percent of the total funds needed to enroll in the modern farming programme.
He also urged farmers to form groups of 20 members to qualify for the support. According to Weere, the World Bank, through the government, will provide fertilizers, improved seeds and agricultural chemicals to boost productivity and improve harvests.
Meanwhile, Mr. Enock Temere, a Financial Mokash Agent, informed farmers that the government has subsidised the cost of accessing agro-inputs under the programme.
Temere also trained farmers on the use of the E-Voucher management system, which allows farmers to access agricultural inputs through digital platforms such as phone calls and mobile money services.
Under the E-Voucher system, a farmer requests agricultural inputs electronically and makes payment through mobile money, making the process faster and more convenient.
