By Ritah Mukasa
Despite agriculture being the backbone of Uganda and the many success stories of farmers who have benefitted from it, some youth still shun this sector. They opt for white-collar jobs or other businesses.
However, Seth Ruta Uwizeye, 30, the proprietor of Rutah Farmers Hub in Mbarara district says agriculture is unpredictable and has many risks, reason some young people run away from it. Then, climate change worsens matters.
For example, these days, seasons are unreliable. From nowhere, a region can have a long dry spell followed by torrential rains. As they are still coming to terms with that, then comes a disease outbreak. Add to that the fluctuating markets, perishability of goods and unscrupulous workers among others.
This discourages the youths and they run to other ventures like providing services or reselling goods like cement that are not perishable.
Aside from that, some young people work on family farms where they are frustrated by the land tenure system. Oftentimes, land is fragmented after the parents are gone. This hinders one from establishing permanent structures because of the uncertainty of future ownership.
But also, those who join their parents at the farm have to brave stringent rules of; do not change this or touch that. To Uwizeye, that alone pushes away an innovative youth.
There is more; agriculture is capital-intensive and a long-term investment that requires good capital and patience.
He gives an example of 20 heifers that are three years old that can cost about sh100m. You also have to buy land to accommodate them. But with that same money, one can invest in transport and make sh300, 000 a day.
This means they will get back their money in one year, unlike the 20 heifers that take three years to reproduce and be resold to regain the money invested. This also scares away young people.
But flipping the coin, Alisen Nuwamanya, a young agriculturist attributes youth abandonment of agriculture to modernity among other reasons.
He says, many young people see and admire good things from social media. They become obsessed with achieving that life.
To them, agriculture cannot give them the much money they need quickly. That is why, some resort to business, gambling or illegal means like stealing.
Nuwamanya adds that agriculture, just like other jobs, works well for people who are patient and passionate about it.
Regardless, as a young dairy and beef farmer, Uwizeye implores government to consider a special fund for young farmers.
“Parliament should also enact a law on commercial agriculture otherwise we shall have farms on small plots of land in future,” he says adding; “Farms are being sold off by disinterested family members after sharing land.”
LEAD PHOTO CAPTION: Seth Ruta Uwizeye in his farm. Uwizeye says agriculture is unpredictable and has many risks, reason some young people run away from it. Photo by Ritah Mukasa
