Farmers in Rwimi Sub County are turning to growing drought resistant crops to avoid cases of drought in the area.
Rwimi has been experiencing dry weather since February and as a result all the rice fields and maize plantations have dried up. Rwimi is the largest producer of rice in Kabarole district.
Farmers who have been growing rice and maize are now growing cassava to increase on food production in the area. Diana Kajumba a farmer in Kadindimu parish says that she spent a lot of money buying rice seeds and when the area experienced dry weather, her four acres of rice all dried up.
Kajumba says that she plans to abandon rice growing and concentrate on growing cassava. Grace Tinka a farmer in Kaina parish says that when her rice plantation dried up, her cassava plantation wasn't affected and she managed to get food for her family and some for sell.
The chairman of Rwimi Farmers Association, Bernard Byarugaba says that 80% of the rice and maize farmers have been affected by the drought and they are now encouraging the farmers to plant more cassava.
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In order to encourage cassava growing, the association has distributed cassava stems to over 1,500 farmers in the sub county. However some rice farmers say that they can not venture into cassava growing.
Florence Sengoma a farmer in Kakingi parish says that cassava growing can not be successful because of the cassava mosaic disease.
Sengoma says that she planted cassava stems last year but they were all affected by the disease.
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Instead of encouraging cassava growing, Sengoma wants the government to provide gravity water and also give the farmers improved rice and maize seeds.
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Damalie Kabasweka says that she can not engage in cassava growing because it is not on high demand like rice and maize. Kabasweka also says that the government should find means to irrigate farmer's crops.
Rwimi Sub County is surrounded by river Nsongya, Rwimi and Ntabango and several crater lakes.
Bernard Byarugaba also says that they have also embarked on sensitizing farmers not to sell all their food but store some for consumption.
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