First ever farmers exhibition and training in Manafwa attracts hundreds

Manafwa, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Manafwa District, through the Production Department and collaboration with partners, has held a successful farmers’ training and exhibition at the district headquarters that attracted hundreds eager to catch up with new trends in the agriculture sector.

Mary Teddy Asio, the assistant commissioner for seed inspection and certification in the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, was the chief guest at the exhibition on February 26th, run under the theme “Improved access to agricultural information, inputs and markets for socio-economic transformation”.

Asio told the exhibitors how content sharing is very important and encouraged the public to go into agriculture, as it’s a source of income and increases money in the pockets of family members. However, she appealed to the exhibitors to always have records on profitability to help them know their business margins.

The acting deputy chief administrative officer, Christine Kimono, hailed farmers from Manafwa for supporting the exhibition, the very first in the history of the district in eastern Uganda. Manafwa District is found in eastern Uganda, located on the slopes of Mt Elgon with a total land area of 231 m². The district borders Bududa and Namisindwa districts to the east, Tororo District to the south, and Mbale District to the west and north.

Kimono confirmed that the district leadership welcomed the innovation because it has helped the farmers to explore and get more opportunities and appealed to the farmers to maintain and improve on what was exhibited. The district has a population of 186,917 with a total of 42,690 farming households.

Activities during the farmer training and exhibition included an exhibition of livestock, fish, entomology and agriculture products by Manafwa District farmers; an exhibition by agro-input dealers, veterinary input suppliers and irrigation equipment suppliers; training and demonstration on best agronomic practices of different crop varieties plus training on poultry production and management.

There was also training on dairy production and management, vaccination of cattle and pets, training on pasture conservation technologies, plus training on fish production and management and apiculture and honey processing.

Dr Bonifance Obbo, the District Production Officer (DPO) of Manafwa, appealed to the agriculture ministry – MAAIF – for an increment in the extension grant, noting that the grant has remained constant for a long period, yet the number of extension staff has increased.

He also revealed that farmers face the challenge of soil fertility and appealed to MAAIF for more fertilisers and technological inputs.
The exhibition was the first of its kind to be held in Manafwa District, and farmers of all kinds turned up to display their inputs and products.

Obbo thanked the district leadership headed by Chairman LCV Hosea kimono Kigayi for lobbying for additional wages, which has enabled them to recruit 23 more extension workers to increase the staffing level from less than 20 per cent to about 35 per cent.

He cited key challenges as understaffing of extension workers; inadequate motorcycles to enable extension workers to reach out to more farmers; rampant outbreaks of pests and diseases like banana wilt and lumpy skin disease; declining soil fertility affecting production and productivity; and unpredictable weather due to climatic changes.

Obbo thanked the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and fisheries for giving the district 40,000 doses of foot-and-mouth disease vaccine, 500 litres of pour-on acaricide for control of ticks and tsetse flies, 100 litres of cypermethrin (Roket) for control of apple tree moth outbreaks in some subcounties

Among the exhibitors was Buwanga Mubutwela Farmers SACCO, who hailed the innovation by the Manafwa District Exhibition Team.

An official said, “We thank the Chairperson of the Organising Committee and Acting District Veterinary Officer George Katenya for granting us the opportunity to showcase our products and share the work we proudly do at Buwanga Mubutwela Farmers SACCO. We are truly grateful for the platform you provided, which allowed us to highlight our efforts, connect with the community, and demonstrate our commitment to improving the livelihoods of our members. Your support and guidance mean a great deal to us.”

There was massive interest in the exhibition by Manafwa farmers, agro-input dealers, veterinary input suppliers, and irrigation equipment suppliers; training and demonstration on best agronomic practices of different crop varieties; training on poultry production and management; training on dairy production and management; vaccination of pets against rabies, spaying and neutering of pets, and animal welfare; training on pasture conservation technologies; training on fish production and management; training on apiculture and honey processing; and a showcase of production department agricultural services and products.