Clare Nayebare
Farmers in Fort Portal and the Rwenzori region have been called upon to embrace Agroecology as one way of addressing the current global threat of climate change and global warming.
The call, has been made by Paul Kusiima, an Agroecologist at Food-Feed- Forest (Triple F) Agroecology demonstration center, based in Kigarama Fort Portal City, with emphasis on carrying out agricultural practices that favour nature at the same time yield healthy food.
According to Kusiima, Fort Portal ‘s seasons have equally been affected by the world’s greatest global warming threat , which is a result of poor farming practices including bush burning, deforestation among others previously done to clear ground for crops.
Kusiima on Farming
He however noted that farmer’s can still simultaneously grow crops and conserve the environment, should they embrace the Agroecology system that caters for sustainable farming which works with nature.
“Farmers must do away with a perception that they have to first cut trees or burn bushes to secure land for cultivation. That directly impacts negatively our mother nature. They should however learn to utilize the bushes and forests for gardens. There are climbing that can be planted on trees” He noted
Kusiima on Agroecology
Agriculture being a key source of income, Kusiima appealed to the NGO’s and government bodies concerned with environmental conservation, to push forward for public sensitization on farming practices that are less harmful to nature, but at the same time yielding nutritious food.
“It’s high time our leaders and NGO’s prioritized Agroecology. The local farmer in the modern world needs to know what to grow, where and why. For instance Indigenous crops are highly encouraged in this concept not only for nutritious food but because they are nature friendly.” Remarked Kusiima.
Wilson Ajuna, a Fort Portal based Agriculturalist echoed Kusiima’s call with key emphasis on the need by farmers to mind the crops they plant.
”If our farmers could adopt local seeds, but plant them on a large scale, our environment could be safe since most local crops do not require a lot of inorganic fertilizers to grow.” He added
Ajuna, however noted that some farmers have of late complained on the quality of seeds they buy from some Agro shops being of low quality which leads to less yields.
