Garuga, Ntungamo to sign tea growing deal
Mr Garuga speaks during the launch of the tea growing project in Ntungamo District on Wednesday. The event was attended by the Ntungamo CAO Roseline Luhoni (L) and Mr Atuheire Elijah, the secretary for works. PHOTO BY PEREZ RUMANZI
Ntungamo.
Ntungamo District is set to become one of the six districts benefiting from the government’s Operation Wealth Creation Programme for highland tea growing in western Uganda.
The district will sign a memorandum of understanding with Kigezi Highland Tea Company, owned by a local investor, Mr James Musinguzi Garuga, who will be the lead farmer consultant in the tea growing project in Ntungamo.
Mr Garuga will implement the project on behalf of the National Agricultural Advisory Services secretariat and ministry of Finance.
The tea growing project is aimed at generating income and conserve environment. It will be the first tea project in Ntungamo District since the introduction of tea growing in Uganda in 1908.
The project
Farmers in Kisoro, Kabale, Mitooma, Rukungiri, Isingiro and Mbarara districts will receive free tea seedlings from the government. The initiative followed a pilot project in Kanungu District, which saw tea growing increase from 5 per cent to at least 40 per cent to become a basic income earner for the local people.
Speaking during the launch of the campaign at Ntungamo District headquarters on Wednesday, Mr Garuga cautioned leaders against frustrating the tea project over the absence of a tea factory in the area.
“I know some leaders will start saying we can’t grow tea because we do not have a tea factory here. Do not put government on pressure to construct a factory. Government no longer constructs factories. It’s private individuals who do such. To have a factory here, you will need to plant at least 15 million seedlings every year for five years to sustain it,” Mr Garuga told district leaders.
He said the first phase of the project that begins in September 2016 will benefit only large scale farmers who are ready to set up demonstration plantation. He said small scale farmers would benefit in the subsequent phases.
The Ntungamo Chief Administrative Officer, Ms Roseline Luhoni, called for cooperation between Kigezi Highland Tea Company staff and district extension workers to enable the project succeed.
