Kabanyolo ready for Farm Clinic
What you need to know:
- The finer details for the nine Seeds of Gold Monitor Farm Clinic have been ironed out as more sponsors jump on board ahead of the big day slated for September 1, writes Denis Bbosa.
The organisers are impressed by the growing turnout of the participants paying the mandated Shs70,000 attendance fee for the Seeds of Gold Farm Clinic slated for September 1. The numbers keep increasing and to make it easy, the organisers have made provision for participants that cannot make it to Monitor Publications Limited (MPL) in Namuwongo to deposit their money on 0704225084.
“We believe the numbers will have increased by September 1,” says Connie Kunihira, the MPL Senior Promotions and Activation Manager.
Ground ready
She says the demonstration farms and hands-on equipment to be used at Makerere University Agricultural Research Institute Kabanyolo (MUARIK), Gayaza are have already been paraded.
“We anticipate most participants to undertake the passion fruits and goat rearing enterprises so we have prepared extensively. Unlike last year, we have formulated a plan where everyone will get a chance to move around all the enterprises including backyard farming, passion fruit, greenhouse farming, bananas, dairy, goat rearing and fish farming,” says Kunihira.
Programme
According to Kunihira, farmers that will board from Namuwongo will be at Kabanyolo by 8pm when the programme is expected to start. Sponsors such as Bank of Uganda and NTV will address the participants before the learning sessions begin at 10am.
“After lunch, each participant will be allowed to move to every learning centre, interact with seasoned farmers and exhibitors before closing up with a question and answer session,” says Charles Tabu the Seeds of Gold editor.
Farmers to get new skills
Dr Stephen Lwasa, the MUARIK director, is confident that the institute is by now in great shape to host a large number of participants with an increased number of experienced facilitators.
“We are ready, the facilities are being revamped to appropriately handle the big expected numbers,” says Lwasa.
“We are going to deliver and bring more different farming modules. The lecturers are fine tuning the notes and I promise you we won’t disappoint,” he adds.
About MUARIK
Makerere University Agricultural Research Institute, Kabanyolo (MUARIK) is one of the oldest agricultural research institutes in Uganda.
Each year students from more than 500 schools across the country visit the institute to learn more about crop farming, raising livestock, breeding, agricultural, engineering and more.
