Busoga should give up sugarcane growing

Many people in the east, especially Busoga, have resorted to planting sugarcane, but is it the best thing they should be doing? My answer is no because it is not benefiting local people in the villages, who spend a lot of their energies in plantations. Besides, they are paid peanuts for their canes. When Kakira was the only sugar factory in the country then, growing sugarcane had value than it is today.

Allow me to address the sugar industry issue because I am somewhat a stakeholder given that Kakira Sugar Works, Kaliro Sugar Works and other sugar factories are in our backyards. Nearly all homes in Busoga abandoned growing of food crops in favour of sugarcane growing. It hurts me seeing people suffering in spite putting a lot of efforts in sugarcane growing.

Just imagine this: The people who toil to grow sugarcane and sell it to factories cheaply, in the end up buying sugar expensively! The solution to Busoga’s poverty lies in abandoning sugarcane growing. People should start growing tea, coffee, potatoes, maize, beans, tomatoes, soya beans and coffee. Growing any of these crops will improve the earnings residents 10 times what they get from sugarcane.

The time is now for people in Busoga to get serious and engage in growing better paying crops. There is also the also have this problem of food insecurity so unless people in Busoga start growing food crops, residents will be wiped out by hunger. This is will be the worst tragedy for Busoga.
Michael Woira,
[email protected]