Moroto farmers irked by poor quality of sorghum seeds

Moroto, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | A section of farmers in Lotisan sub-county, Moroto district have expressed concern about the sorghum seeds supplied by the Welthunger Hilfe organization.

The farmers claim that they were given seeds in March to plant during the rainy season and it took three months to get ready for harvest. This prompted them to abandon the local variety of seeds. However, since it was planted in March, it’s now seven months and the dry season is approaching yet sorghum has not started flowering.

The farmers say that they are facing starvation after investing all their resources to plant the sorghum. They added that all their colleagues who plated the local variety are already harvesting and experiencing better yields.

Jennifer Munyez, a farmer from Atedeoi village said that she received the seeds from the Welthunger organization in March and immediately plated on her five acres of land.

Munyez said that she has so far waited for over six months and the sorghum is still growing instead of flowering contrary to the three which were told to them.

Munyez also noted, that all her neighbours who planted local seeds are already harvesting while she is still waiting to see flowers from the sorghum garden. She said that her family is in a food crisis since all the resources were injected into farming that has yielded.

Peter Aguma, another farmer from Amunyodoi village said that he was very excited while planting the new variety of sorghum seeds which they said would take a short time to mature. Aguma said that he received 10 kilograms of sorghum seeds and he decided to abandon the local variety seeds.

Aguma said that he spent about a million shillings to open up his five acres of land for planting and weeding the crops.  He alleges that the people who supplied them the seeds claimed that it could be planted twice in a year since it was a quick maturing crop.

Aguma said he is already counting losses because the dry season is approaching and it is more likely to affect the crops.

He appealed to the government to consider supporting them with quick maturing crops that can enable them to beat the unpredictable weather patterns in the region.

John Robert Adupa, the LCIII Chairperson of Lotisan sub-county said that his office is overwhelmed by complaints from farmers who are frustrated over poor seeds.

Adupa said that the situation is being made worse by the section of farmers who planted local seeds and now registering plentiful harvests.

He said that farmers had abandoned the local seeds after receiving the improved ones after they were convinced by partners that it takes a short period to mature.

Adupa wondered why the partners would take the seeds to farmers without engaging the district agricultural technical staff to guide them.

Ceaser Akol, the Moroto District speaker said that they are disappointed with the partners who are carrying out activities in uncoordinated manners.

Akol also noted that several organizations distributed seeds of sorghum to the communities and none of them yielded. He said that their stand for the region is to promote quick maturing crops to catch up with the rains.

Akol said that it is unfair to give farmers seeds that take a long to mature amidst unreliable rainfall and biting huger in the families.

Mark Lolem, the Moroto District Agricultural Officer said that the partners supplied seeds to the farmers without engaging his office. He noted that the practice of partners dealing directly with farmers has become common despite several calls for cooperation.

Lolem said that the sorghum that the partner supplied is locally known as Abir sorghum and takes about nine months from planting to maturity. He said that the Abir sorghum variety is resistant to drought, and weevils.

He cautioned all the partners dealing in agriculture to always work with his department for guidance and to avoid messing up. He said that this would enable them to do seeds test for quality assurance and also write reports which they submit to their ministry.

However, the management of Welthunger Hilfe organization denied supplying seeds to the farmers in Lotisan Sub County. They claimed that although they supplied to a specific group of farmers, several other partners also gave out seeds to farmers and it is hard for them to confirm if the seeds were from their organization.

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