Government plans to increase potato, rice production

A rice farmer in Kayunga gathers his harvest. Rice and Irish potatoes are targetted in a plan to increase their production to ensure food security and income generation. FILE PHOTO

“Currently, agriculture is growing at a rate of 2.9 per cent compared to the population growth of 3.2 per cent thereby posing challenges of food insecurity and low income to farmers,” Tress Buchanayandi, Minister of Agriculture, noted at the launching of an action plan to intensify the production of rice and Irish potatoes.

Necessary
Government has identified the two crops as those that can contribute to improved household incomes, livelihoods, food and nutrition.

He said the two have become both food and cash crops thus the need to intensify their production.

“This necessitates a plan to intensify those foods that do not pose food insecurity challenges and can earn a farmer reasonable income,” the minister added.

Strengthen capacity
This was in a speech read for him by the state minister, Prof Zerubabel Nyiira.

This will be done through capacity strengthening relevant institutions and policy processes.

The minister revealed that government had signed a $5m (Shs12.5b) contract to kick-start the project, which is called Policy Action for Sustainable Intensification of Ugandan Cropping Systems (Pasic).

It will strengthen the capacity for agricultural intensification in two zones: the south western highlands for Irish potatoes, and the Lake Kyoga plains in eastern Uganda for rice.

“Population pressure is high, farm sizes are small (less than two hectares), and the options to put new land into production are rather limited, which makes traditional farming no longer sustainable,” he added.

About the project
The four-year project will be managed by International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), in searching for solutions for hunger, malnutrition, and poverty.
It will work in partnership with Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, as the lead agency guiding public agricultural development efforts in the country; the Economic Policy Research Centre (EPRC), the leading policy think-tank in Uganda, and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).