Small-scale irrigation farmers graduate at Mashare

MASHARE, 1 NOV – Thirty small-scale irrigation farmers graduated from the Mashare Irrigation Training Centre (MITC) during a ceremony hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry on Wednesday.
The training, which was completed by the farmers in July 2017, is meant to prepare them to conduct crop farming at Government Green Schemes such as Etunda, Musese and Vungu Vungu.
Speaking during the graduation ceremony, Managing Director (MD) of AgriBusDev, Petrus Uugwanga said he is happy that the farmers have demonstrated that they can manage bigger plots.
“As you graduate today, I would like to tell you that this graduation was not imposed on you but that you chose to graduate because you all worked very hard.”
Uugwanga explained that 10 of the farmers graduated from six-hectare plots to 10 hectares whilst the other 20 farmers graduated from three-hectare plots to six.
Uugwanga said he wants to see the farmers graduate further to becoming substantive commercial producers.
“We wish you success in one day becoming commercial farmers so that we improve productivity in the country to make a meaningful contribution to national food security,” he stressed.
Uugwanga encouraged farmers to be disciplined and work very hard and that they should give themselves time to learn and get practical experience.
On his part, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry, Percy Misika said the farmers were selected and trained so they are equipped with knowledge and skills to be able to use irrigated agriculture methodology to produce more food for the nation.
“You have entered the right industry as you cannot go wrong with producing food. There will always be more mouths to feed. The world is currently having 7.2 billion people and by 2050, people are supposed to be 9.2 billion,” he said.
(NAMPA)