By Catherine Nakayemba and Gerald Tenywa
The government has encouraged farmers to capitalise on the high demand for Uganda’s organic agricultural produce on the international market.
According to Fred Kyakulaga, minister of state for agriculture, there is a ready market for these products, which presents farmers with an opportunity to make profits from a wider base.
“As a government policy, we are encouraging what they call organic agriculture. We recently had an interaction in Nairobi that attracted many countries. Uganda is leading in organic agriculture. So I encourage Ugandans to emphasise this because our products are in great demand on international markets because of their organic background,” he said.
He was speaking at the Uganda National Media Centre in Kampala on July 5, 2023, during the launch of the National Agriculture Education Show expected to take place between July 10 and 15, 2023.
The minister emphasised the importance of organic agriculture for sustainable farming practises since domestic waste can be re-purposed as mulch and fertiliser in gardens.
“We should, as much as possible, retain our traditional way of doing things. For example, if you have cows and chickens in the backyard, Manure can be made from cow dung and chicken droppings. When you cook the bananas, use the peels as mulch in your garden,” said Kyakulaga.
Organic farming practises also extend to the use of biological means of controlling new pests and diseases that are affecting crops due to climate change. Kyakulaga encouraged scientists to develop organic products for pest control in order to reduce the negative environmental effects of inorganic products.
“There are new pests and diseases, most especially due to the changing weather patterns occasioned by climate change. We can use bio-products. We can use the same products to generate fertiliser. We are encouraging scientists to come up with research, innovate, and come up with products that are biological instead of using inorganic chemicals,” he told New Vision.
However, Kyakulaga also acknowledged the value of inorganic agricultural inputs, provided proper procedures are followed.
“There are also other methods, as long as we stick to the right doses. When we are applying fertilisers, we first test the soil so that we apply only the amount that is required,” Kyakulaga explained.
