By Michael Onyinge
The micro-irrigation program that has been launched in Kaberamaido district by the government is already yielding results.
The acting District Agricultural Officer (DAO) Samuel Etwomu said the program should be embraced since it was the only alternative to be used during the dry season.
Already two demonstration sites with one at Kaberamaido Technical site and at Akwei village in Ochero sub county.
He said the sites have been supported fully by the government where all the installations were done.
However, when it comes to individuals, he said the farmers will be expected to contribute 25% and 75% when installing using solar and generator systems respectively of the total cost as the government foots the balance. He said there is cofounding in the program but the key factor was to have a source of water.
He said they were targeting thirteen farmers next year.
“We have already visited the different farmers who have applied for the macro irrigation scheme and we are waiting for the costing”, Etwomu said.
He mentioned this as some stakeholders visited one of the host farmers, Monica Inebe from Akwei village in Ochero sub county.
Inebe testified that in a quarter of an acre of land where she had planted each tomatoes and cabbages, she was able to get over a million shillings as profit in each of the enterprises.
“I am very glad of this government program. I have been able to get money for supporting the education of children in just a small area”. Inebe said.
She said the planted and harvested tomatoes and cabbages during the previous dry season when not one was able to have it.
She has a demonstration farm that farmers are expected to learn from three different methods of irrigation.
She also said she was planning to add more other enterprises like eggplants and onions during the forth coming dry season.
She said the cry of no rain was now not her challenge with the macro irrigation system.
The LC3 of Ochero sub county, Charles Kennedy Ojuku said this was the best initiative that the government had thought of for supporting farmers.
“Our challenges in this sub county is how to engage in farming during dry season. With now this technology, our farmers will fight poverty and shortage of food”, Ojuku said.
Meanwhile, the LC3 of Ochero town council, Raymond Enyaru said this was the right time of leaders themselves to pick the practice and be exemplary to the local people.
“I just beg the leaders and other farmers who have the capacity of co funding as required by the government to embrace the program”, Enyaru said.
“The macro irrigation program will fight the food crisis in most of the families. We shall also stop from importing vegetable from other regions”, Enyaru said.
Currently the biggest bulk of vegetables consumed in Kaberamaido is imported from Bugisu sub region.
Fredrick Oboi who is a councilor from Okile sub county said all the areas that border Lake Kyoga should be able to embrace the program.
Kaberamaido has five sub counties of Ochero, Okile, Kobulubulu, Kaberamaido and Aperkira that are sounded by Lake Kyoga.
He said that it was not even about the presence of the lake alone but other alternatives were available of getting the source of water.
Sr. Immaculate Anaso who is a nurse and an interested farmer said this was the best system that can save women from poverty and shortage of food in their families.
She said people should desist from the thinking of saying that farming is for the un educated people.
“It is only in farming where reliable wealth is especially if one takes up the macro irrigation system”, Anaso said.
She said people stop from moving up and down looking for what to do yet farming was also more equally well paying if the challenge of dry season is fought.
