The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The need for modernization of agriculture has topped the issues in the on-going LCV campaigns for Luweero district.
At least six candidates have intensified campaigns asking residents to vote for them to lead the district. The candidates for the LCV chairperson seat are Uthman Jjuuko Kamoga of National Resistance Movement, Erasto Kibirango of National Unity Platform and Rashidah Birungi of Alliance for National Transformation.
Others are Vincent Ssebayiga, Daniel Sserubidde and Dithan Kikabi, all independent candidates.
The candidates have prioritized agriculture in their campaigns saying that despite being the major economic activity, it is less profitable to residents due to low adaptability to modern forms of agriculture.
Kamoga says that once elected, he will promote the integration of Information and Communication Technology in the agriculture sector. Kamoga says several residents are still practicing old techniques of agriculture because they lack information on better practices.
Kamoga says because of poor techniques, farmers earn less from farming and these have failed to feed the district forcing traders to buy bananas from Western Uganda.
Kamoga intends to promote zoning, use of tractors, supply of improved seed varieties and use of ICT to access markets.
Birungi says that once elected, she will prioritize revamping of cooperatives to provide stable markets for agricultural produce. Birungi says many residents find no importance to adapt to modern agriculture practices citing lack of markets for produce.
Birungi observes failure by people to utilize the land for modern agriculture has resulted in land grabbing.
Daniel Sserubidde, another independent candidate says that he intends to encourage and support the residents to use modern agriculture techniques to utilize the small pieces of the land they own. Sserubidde adds that he will ensure many feeder and community roads are opened to ease transport of agricultural produce to the markets
Erasto Kibirango, the NUP candidate in the race says that once elected, he will first secure people’s land through fighting land grabbers and later promote modern agriculture practices.
Emmy Ssemugabi, a resident of Luweero sub-county says that programmes introduced by the government to promote agriculture have not helped either because of lack of sensitization and failure to consult intended beneficiaries.
Ssemugabi says that some people were given coffee seedlings without consulting and these never planted them.
Monica Mayanja, a resident of Luweero town council says even the seedlings distributed are of poor quality and others were distributed late. Mayanja also complained of expensive and fake fertilizers on the markets.
She however observed that if the elected candidates stick to their promises, there could be an improvement in agriculture.
Other farmers asked the government to donate more tractors to the district to promote mechanization of agriculture.
Abbey Ssozi Bakisuula, the secretary for production for Luweero says that although they have tried to modern agriculture, the sector receives low funding.
Ssozi says that they asked the Uganda Coffee Development Authority to stop distributing more coffee but channel funds to buy equipment to help farmers improve yields.
Ssozi adds that recently, NAADS distributed three tractors to groups but they are still appealing for more as part of the strategy to modernize agriculture.
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