By Ambrose Niwagaba Katoto
Over 300 small-scale farmers in Kikuube district are set to benefit from the government’s solar irrigation system under Uganda intergovernmental fiscal transfer program-UGIFT to adopt in the climate change challenges.
Dr. Samuel Kahesi, the Kikuube district principal Agricultural officer says that under this program that is aimed at improving production, they have so far received 280 applications from small savings farmers.
Kahesi added that during this 2023/24 financial year, 32 farmers will be considered with 19 farmers already paid their 25 required co funding percentage.
He has added that the qualification to be considered, a farmer has to be with a source of water within 700 meters and willing to co-fund.
“Under this program, we are helping farmers to acquire equipment for micro irrigation, to date We have a big number of farmers who have expressed interest to a tune of 300 farmers and out of them 70 have been visited successfully while 19 have already committed themselves and works to commence soon” Samuel Kahesi said
This was during a mini farmers’ exhibition named meet and interact organized by Kikuube district held at Kikuube town council headquarters.
Peter Banura who is the Kikuube district chairperson local council five has asked able farmers to embrace this government program in order to produce season after season to tap the oil and gas food opportunities.
“If our famers are really focused, 6 million shillings is affordable because I have seen many buying motorcycles worth more than 5 million shillings how about such a good project that will help us feed the oil industry”
However, a section of farmers like Salume Aseera from Buhimba have said that 6 million required from a farmer is too much yet some of them fear getting bank loans.
Nonetheless, Joshua Oyela and other farmers have welcomed this government programme and asked others to stop degrading swamps and forests.
The small scale irrigation program is funded by the government of Uganda with support from the Bank of Uganda and implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture through Agricultural officers at the district level.
