Govt donates 16 walker tractors to Teso districts
Farmers receiving the tractors from government officials on October 15, 2022. PHOTO/GEORGE EMURON
What you need to know:
- According to government, all these avenues are focused on improving commercial farming.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) has donated sixteen walker tractors (Flying star) through the office of the Parliament Speaker Anita Among to Teso districts.
The walker tractors were handed over to farmers on October 15, 2022 at Apopong Village in Kolir Sub County, Bukedea District.
Beneficiary districts include Bukedea, Ngora and Bulambuli among others.
MAAIF Engineer Festo Obonye said out of the sixteen walker tractors, Bulambuli District received one, Ngora District two and the remaining ones are for Bukedea District since it’s one of the piloting districts.
“Under Vision 2040, the ministry of agriculture targets to eliminate the use of ox plough,” he added.
According to him, all these avenues are focused on improving commercial farming.
“Farmers are expected to shift from subsistence to commercial farming. These walker tractors plough over five hectares in one day. So, farmers can produce for both food and commercial purposes,” Mr Obonye explained.
Cyprian Paul Opolot, the Malera agricultural officer who represented the Bukedea District production and commercial officer said: “The biggest challenge most farmers face is power to open farms early but with this support of the walker tractors, the food insecurity threat will be addressed.”
Bukedea Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Hajji Imran Muluga observed that the tractors have come at the right time.
Ngora District farmer Moses Oluka urged government to build strategies of supporting local farmers in marketing their products.
“Our group deals with ground nut cultivation but sometimes market inflation affects us,” he highlighted.
