By Simon Ssekidde
GOMBA
At least 625 farmers from Kabulasoke sub county in Gomba district on Thursday, graduated under the program dubbed ‘ farmer field schools ‘ a recent government intervention towards transforming agriculture.
The government of Uganda, in conjunction with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, under the Global Climate Change alliance (GCCA) a two month long- training for a selected group of farmers with lectures and hands on activities.
The training aims at strengthening the resilience of rural populations and agricultural production systems in the central part of the cattle corridor and build the capacities of communities and commercial farmers and the government of Uganda to cope with the climate change, the training is being facilitated by the European Union.
During the handing over of certificates of completion to successful farmers from 25 farmer groups under the farmer field schools at, Milambi village in Kabulasoke sub county, Ruth Gyayo from the ministry of Local government, thanked the facilitators and called on the graduates to implement the knowledge they have acquired into practice and also bring other farmers on board.
” I congratulate you upon the completion of this months long training in best agricultural practices, please pass on this knowledge to other farmers and also put into practice the knowledge you’ve acquired” Gyayo said.
During the field visit to some of the farmers under this program, the beneficiaries thanked the government and the facilitators for the support they have rendered to them and called on the government to intervene into the increased fake agricultural inputs on market today.
Emmanuel Byakatonda, the leader of the farmer field schools, in Gomba, called upon the relevant authorities to help curb the fake agricultural inputs like pesticides because they affect the outputs of farmers.
” We suffer from loses brought about by the fake agricultural inputs on market, we call upon the government to help us deal with this issue” Byakatonda said.
Winnie Kyobutungi, the head of Gomba district natural resources, called upon the community members who occupied the wetlands to vacate before they are forcefully evicted
According to Kyobutungi, many natural resources like wetlands have been encroached on by the community members which she said puts the lives on risky.
In an effort,to cope with the climate change, the government through the climate change department of the ministry of water and environment, Ministry of Local government, MAAIF embarked on training farmers into the best agricultural practices that are climate friendly.
With support from the European union, FAO and the Global Climate Change alliance (GCCA ), farmers are trained in achieving better production of food, environment protection, achieving better nutrition in homestead that can lead to better life in communities.
Agatha Ayebazibwe, from FAO Uganda, thanked the facilitators of this program and called on the farmers to make the best use of the knowledge they have acquired .
