FARMERS TO SMILE AS GOV’T LAUNCHES NEW SEED POLICY
By Simon Turibamwe
Ugandan farmers will have the reason to smile for the future as the government launches seed policy and strategy. The government will launch the policy and strategy that targets to benefit farmers and seed distributors in the country according to Joseph Bazaale the Assistant commissioner MAAIF. Bazaale while featuring on NBS’ popular Morning Breeze this morning (Wednesday) revealed that the new strategy is to ensure seed quality, storage and distribution. He added that all stakeholders will be involved in both designing and Implementation of the policy. The new policy and strategy is also aiming at protecting farmers from fake seed distributers and also prohibit adulterated seeds from the market. He noted that the policy will provide for central and licensed seed distribution centers to protect the seed from poor handling. “Unprofessional seed distributors have been a big challenge to the farmers because they give them poor or adulterated seeds at a low cost leading them to poor production. We hope that if farmers buy from licensed centers they will be able to buy quality seeds that will also give them the best in production,” said Bazaale. Moses Erungo the Senior Agriculture Inspector, added that the strategy will not only target quality and distribution but also pest and disease control, water for plant irrigation, production and marketing. “We want to see both distributors and farmers smiling as the result of ensuring good quality that will lead to quantity and quality production at the end. He added that strategy will also capacitate all category of stakeholders who include among others the NGOs Donors and funders, farming groups and consumers in policy implementation. He said that the major aim is to realize a sustainable agriculture sector, good harvests, food security, nutrition and production. There has been an outcry from farmers all over the country that fake seeds are dominating market due to government’s failure to control distributers. Farmers also say that the government has frustrated their much efforts spent in agriculture for failure to provide ready and stable markets for agricultural produce. For comments, call or text us on 0752510225
