Summary:
Edwin Namanya Bamwenda, a farmer from Kabira Village, Kyabuhangwa Parish, Kamwezi Sub-county, and a beneficiary of the PDM, invested in agriculture but is now struggling due to the harsh weather conditions.
RUKIGA: Farmers in Rukiga District are decrying the prolonged drought and pest infestations, which have severely impacted their projects funded under the Parish Development Model (PDM).
Edwin Namanya Bamwenda, a farmer from Kabira Village, Kyabuhangwa Parish, Kamwezi Sub-county, and a beneficiary of the PDM, invested in agriculture but is now struggling due to the harsh weather conditions. He noted that the prolonged drought is significantly affecting his coffee and banana plantation, which would otherwise be yielding much higher returns.
Namanya, who operates on a 2.5-acre piece of land, advised fellow farmers to maximize the small land they have, in alignment with the presidential four-acre model. He urged families to practice collective farming instead of subdividing land, emphasizing that working together enhances productivity.
He further lamented the impact of drought on productivity, adding that coffee crops are also being devastated by pests such as coffee wilt disease.
CUE IN NAMANYA……ON DROUGHT……..RR/ENG//
Augustine Byomuhangi and Javira Niwamanya, both PDM beneficiaries and cattle farmers from Kyabuhangwa Parish in Kamwezi Sub-county, echoed similar concerns. They revealed that their cattle are suffering as there is no grass to graze on due to the dry conditions, and water sources have dried up. Niwamanya called on the government to support cattle farmers by providing water pumps to help irrigate pasture for their livestock.
CUE IN BYOMUHANGI AND NIWAMANYA……..VOXPOP……RR//
Eliab Abaasa Bamwenda, the National Leader of “Youth for Kaguta 2026” and a farmer in Kamwezi Sub-county, Rukiga District, also appealed to the government through the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, and Fisheries to intervene by supplying pesticides and irrigation equipment to support farmers. He encouraged young people to actively engage in agriculture, particularly animal rearing, highlighting that Kigezi still has communal grazing land suitable for livestock farming.
CUE IN ABAASA…….ON GOVERNMENT……. RR//
