Farmers stranded over ban on rice growing in wetlands

The ongoing rice harvesting season in Busoga Sub-region doesn’t look good for commercial farmers following the government’s decision to ban growing of the cereal in wetlands across the country.

Harvesting rice in Busoga happens between July and October and previously, the sub-region experienced bumper returns and subsequent drop in prices.

But two months into this year’s harvest period, some commercial rice farmers have been pushed out of business, while others have resorted to growing other crops.

Mr Bernard Mugoya Mutebi, the director of Jinja-based OBN Produce and Supply Company Ltd, trading as Agroben, which deals in rice, on Tuesday attributed the drop in harvests to the ban on growing the cereal in wetlands.

“I used to harvest 10,000 tonnes every day but during this [current] season, I am harvesting between 1,000 and 2,000 tonnes per day, and half of the farmers I deal with [100] have abandoned rice growing and resorted to growing other crops,” Mr Mutebi said.

He added: “It is ironic that the government that preached about commercialised rice farming to eradicate poverty is the same one pushing farmers to the edge.”

In a resolution passed by Cabinet and communicated by State minister for Water and Environment Beatrice Anywar in July last year, the government said the move will restore the environment that has been degraded by farming activities.

Earlier this month, farmers in Butaleja District opposed the ban, saying they should have been consulted and that the decision will affect their livelihoods and push them further into poverty.

According to Mr Mutebi, some farmers have now resorted to growing soybean, and sugarcanes after authorities descended on their villages and allegedly started beating up whoever was disobeying the government directive.
Until last year, Mr Wilson Mali, the chairperson Kasoko Sub-county in Kaliro District, was growing rice on between 120 and 160 acres of land, but the infiltration of cheap rice from Tanzania forced him to switch to sugarcane growing.

“When rice from Tanzania was going for Shs1,500 per kilogramme, nobody was willing to buy my rice at between Shs2,200 and Shs2,500 per kilogramme,” Mr Mali said.

Change of business
Prior to the proliferation of rice from Tanzania, which is credited for having a distinctive aroma, Mr Mali said he was supplying Mr Mutebi’s Agroben a minimum of 2,000 tonnes per season.

But while Mr Mali says he is earning more from growing sugarcane compared to commercial rice farming, he regrets that his change in business model has left many youth unemployed.

“When I was growing rice, I employed between 80 and 100 youth; but when I shifted to sugarcane growing, I discovered that the latter doesn’t require a lot of human capital and decided to retain between 20 and 30 workers,” he added.

Mr Tom Buyinza Yolya, a rice farmer from Namutumba District, said he used to harvest about 600 tonnes of rice each season but shifted to sugarcane last year following the ban on growing the cereal in wetlands.

“Upland rice doesn’t grow well in the ordinary Namutumba fields; so, where does the government want us to grow the rice?” he said.

Mr Yolya is concerned that many of his colleagues, who have abandoned commercial rice farming may turn to petty theft, especially of cows, goats and pigs in the area.

Background
The ban on rice growing came at a time when many wetlands such as that of Lwera on the Masaka-Mbarara highway have been reclaimed to grow rice.

Uganda’s wetland coverage has dropped from 17.5 per cent in the early 1990s to 8.5 per cent, while forest coverage has dropped from 24 per cent to 12.4 per cent.