By George Bita
Farmers in Busoga sub-region can now receive vital training on how to effectively manage their farm enterprises.
According to Loy Basoga, a farmer from Namutumba district, a learning centre established within the local government now offers training to farmers from all over Busoga and beyond.
“We get the training on arrangement with the proprietor. It is often done in groups as teamwork makes the process even more beneficial,” Basoga said.
Noah Muwangula, a farmer from Namalemba parish, Bugweri district testified that the centre has been helpful in enhancing household incomes through farming.
“I came to learn about Busoga Farmers’ Resource Centre through a friend of mine. That is when we decided to visit and learn as farmers from Bugweri and we indeed learnt a lot about food security and farm management,” Muwangula told New Vision on Tuesday.
The training centre that comprises an agri-tourism park, fish ponds, plantations and apiary section is located in Nambote village, Namutumba district.
Dauson Musasizi, a commercial farmer and the proprietor of Busoga farmers’ resource centre explained that free training sessions would be regularly conducted to eventually cover all sub-counties of Namutumba district.
“We usually target church leaders who can preach the farm gospel effectively to Christians. It is our hope that once they get back to their churches many will benefit from the skills picked up,” Musasizi observed.
He said that training helps farmers to become good managers of their enterprises as they take note of common mistakes that negatively impact farming.
According to him, the private establishment set up three years ago has already made its mark in assisting farmers manage their farms much better.
Phiona Namaido, a trainee from Nsinze town council appreciated the training saying the tips acquired would be instrumental in getting her out of poverty.
“I am going to set up a demonstration banana garden on my one-acre land. This would give my family food as well as helping others learn from it,” Namaido promised.
Moses Batambuze, the Ivukula sub-county LC3 chairman expressed satisfaction with the resource centre saying it is in line with government programmes aimed at betterment of household incomes.
“Farmers and local leaders from Ivukula sub-county have already benefited by being trained on crucial farming skills. After the training in January, each participant was given banana suckers to plant, which is commendable,” Batambuze noted.
He argued that the involvement of farmers from all over Busoga would help kick poverty out of the sub-region.
Elijah Kagoda, the Kaliro district chairman encouraged the beneficiaries to use the acquired farming skills well so as to develop society.
“I am happy that among the trainees are farmers from my district. This means they will be agents of change when they get back to Kaliro so that we have more food on table,” Kagoda emphasised.
Muwanguzi said the training goes hand-in-hand with government programmes like Operation Wealth Creation to create greater impact on the populace.
“It is very clear we are aiming at the same target of improving welfare through farming. So let us combine forces to achieve maximum effect,” Muwanguzi suggested. He revealed that the centre receives an estimated 500 trainees per month from within and outside Busoga.
