Barley farmers get free seeds

They will plant the seeds during the March-June season and supply the material to a beer company.

At least 10,500 farmers in Kigezi sub-region have received 120 tonnes of barley seeds to fight poverty.
The farmers received the seeds from Nile Breweries and will use it to grow barley for the beer company for the March-June planting season.
The company’s extension staff for Kigezi sub-region, Mr Grace Bwengye, told the farmers they would buy the barley from them.

Mr Bwengye said they have been giving barley seeds to farmers in the sub-region since 2010.

He said they identified Kigezi sub-region for the project because of the unique weather that is conducive for barley growing.

Mr Bwengye said 5,000 farmers in Kisoro District had received barley seeds, 4,000 in Kabale and 1,500 in Kanungu for the same planting season.

Mr Edward Bahungirehe,a barley farmer in Kisoro District, said he earns an average of Shs600, 000 per season from his two acres of barley garden
“I started barley growing in 2010 and I have managed to buy a motorcycle and two cows,” Mr Bahungirehe said, adding that he has also been able to take his children to good private schools in Kisoro Town.

Mr Bwengye said they started by paying farmers Shs600 per kilogramme but now it has been increased to Shs1,000.

However, the Kisoro District chairperson, Mr Milton Bazanye, asked all barley farmers in Kigezi sub-region to form an association so that they can be able to bargain for better prices.

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