Farmers in different parts of the country tend to suffer heavy losses as a result of rain storms and strong winds that destroyed their crops and farm structures.
According to agriculture experts, destructive rain and powerful winds have become common because people have cut down trees which acted as windbreaks.
To protect their farms from destructive winds, farmers should plant windbreaks on their farms.
Facts about wind breaks
Not all trees can make good wind breaks. Some trees tend to compete with crops grown near them for water and nutrients.
For instance eucalyptus and pine trees should never be used as a wind breaks, as their roots tend to out compete crops planted near them.
According Thomas Ssemakula executive director of Brave East Africa, an agro consultancy company, eucalyptus can only be a good wind breaker if it is planted 25m to 45m away from any crop.
One of the most recommended windbreaks is the Neem tree. It is a drought-resistant tree with its ever green small and fine leaves and deep roots which do not compete with crops for water and nutrients.
Why wind breaks?
The vegetation behind windbreakers is saved from drying that would be caused by the wind. Crops like cassava, sugarcane and banana plantations which have high heights above the ground level are safe from breaking due to heavy winds.
Wind breaks also guard against soil and stem erosion by wind; this is common in sloppy farmlands. Regions like Kigezi normally face soil and stem erosion by wind.
Wind breaks can also protect homes from falling roofs. To farmers, such inconvenience can hinder farming activities.
