Famers demand national day

Farmers have asked government to gazette a national farmers’ day to recognise and celebrate farmers contribution to the country’s development.

“We are advocating for national farmers’ day so that farmers can get medals, certificates and other rewards. This will also entice youth to join farming and take it as a serious business venture,’’ Mr Robert Kabateraine, the coordinator of Mbarara Network of Farmers’ Voice Ltd, said during a preparatory meeting for the national farmers’ day celebrations in Mbarara District on Saturday.

The celebrations will be held in Mbarara on December 20.

Capt (Rtd) Issa Nsasira Ssalongo, who represented the Uganda National Farmers Federation President, Dr Dick Nuwamanya Kamuganga, said: “We need to have that day because it unites farmers to have one voice, connects them with agro-processors, markets, and it boosts prices of agriculture produce.”

The deputy Resident District Commissioner, Mr Emmy Turyabagyenyi Kateera, asked farmers to focus on value addition.

“You need to start doing value addition so that your products fetch better prices,” Mr Kateera said.

Statistics at the Ministry of Agriculture indicate that Agriculture sector contributed 24.9 per cent to the GDP in 2016/2017.