Govt launches Shs400m avocado project in Kabale
Kigezi Diocesan secretary Rev Canon Milton Nkurunungi, together with other Christians, receive Hass Avocado seedlings at Rugarama hill in Kabale Town on November 20, 2023. PHOTO/ROBERT MUHEREZA
Government has rolled out a Shs400million Hass Avocado growing project in Kabale District to “improve household incomes in rural areas.”
On Monday, trade state minister David Bahati’s political assistant Wilber Kanyesigye delivered at least 43,354 seedlings of Hass Avocado to the beneficiaries through their respective religious affiliations for close monitoring and effective implementation of the project.
“We have procured about 43,354 Hass Avocado seedlings at a cost of Shs8,000 each to be planted during this rainy season. This project will supplement the existing government programs of wealth creation that includes the Parish Development Model,” Kanyesigye said, noting from Bahati’s remarks.
He added that “they will rely on the employed agriculture extension workers at every sub county to provide advisory services to the farmers.”
According to the Kabale District Agriculture Officer Deus Bagambana, Hass Avocado tree matures in two years and yields between 200 and 400 fruits per year under good care and management.
Kigezi Diocesan secretary Rev Canon Milton Nkurunungi and the Kabale District Khadi Sheik Kabu Lule promised to utilize the church and mosque land in their jurisdiction for planting Hass Avocado as an income generating enterprise.
“We are so grateful to Bahati and government for supporting the faith-based institutions in Kabale District with the Hass Avocado growing project. It is now our duty to ensure that the project is successful so that it can provide an alternative income to our faith-based institutions that have always depended on offertories from the believers,” Sheik Kabu Lule said.
Kabale District Khadi Sheik Kabu Lule (R) receives seedlings of Hass Avocado at Kirigime Mosque on November 20, 2023. PHOTO/ROBERT MUHEREZA
The coordinator of the Sustainable Agriculture Program at Kabale diocese, Frank Karusya, welcomed the project saying that it will promote soil and environmental conservation and nutrition besides the expected economic benefits.
“Our target as Kabale Diocese is to utilize all the church and school land for growing Hass Avocado because we already know its benefits. We shall soon launch Sustainable Agriculture clubs in our schools to demonstrate the importance of growing fruit trees for nutrition, environmental protection and the related economic benefits,” Karusya remarked on Monday.
