Emphasis by Uganda and other countries on improved seed for increased agricultural production has not paid off as anticipated by governments’ technocrats.
Dr. Nteranya Sanginga, Director General of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, says farmers have been given good seeds without equal emphasis on agronomical practices like fertiliser application.
Uganda, like many African countries, has been fronting the so-called Green Revolution by promoting improved plant varieties for increased yield but Dr. Sanginga says good seed alone cannot increase food production.
He says good seed should be complimented with irrigation, mechanization and both chemical and inorganic fertilizer.
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Uganda is one of the countries with the lowest fertilizer application rates with 1.3 kilogram per hectare compared to Africa’s eight kilos per hectare.
Dr. Piet van Asten, an agronomist at the International Institute for tropical agriculture Country Office, says there is a perception that most of Uganda’s soils are fertile yet emerging studies are indicating otherwise.
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He says while fertilisers are being encouraged, his institute is also advising farmers on smarter way of utilizing their limited resources like, land, money and labour for better production.
Dr. Asten says farmers for example are being encouraged to consider mixed cropping between coffee and bananas in areas where these plants have been planted alone.
The National Development Plan recently adopted by government envisages the promotion of wider application of fertilisers as one of the factors in improving agricultural production.
