Bukoba — Kagera Regional Commissioner (RC) John Mongela has advised residents to utilise Nane Nane exhibition to boost production of food and cash crops to earn more money.
He also advised them to commercialise through modern bee keeping and honey harvesting.
Modern bee keeping and honey harvesting would add their income following outbreak of the destructive Banana Xanthomonas Wilt (BXW), also known as Banana Bacterial Wilt (BBW). Ms Mongela made the remarks on Wednesday while opening Nane Nane Exhibition at the Kyakailabwa Agricultural grounds, some five kms from Bukoba town.
The region had potential and a conducive weather climate to benefit from modern bee keeping and honey harvesting. People should change their mindset and move with time.
There is no reason at all to complain without taking any action, he said. Available data indicate that a total of 672 farmers engaged in active bee keeping out of whom 420 were males and 252 women while the number of beehives increased from 151,860 during 2005/2006 to 212, 250 during 2010/2011 equivalent to 13.8 per cent increase.
Some 22 youth in Misenyi District under the umbrella "Shubila Bee Keepers" increased beehives from 96 during 2013 to 460 by June this year, the Secretary of the group, Mr Venance Evarist, has disclosed.
Mr Evarist (22) told the "Daily News" in an interview at the Kyakailabwa Agricultural grounds, in Bukoba Municipality that bee keeping was a lucrative activity urging other youths in Kagera Region to borrow a leaf.
Youth and graduates from various colleges and universities should borrow a leaf by forming cooperative groups in bid to get self employment instead of depending on government alone.
The group was established by 22 youths who started with 96 bee hives which todate increased to 460. A litre of honey was sold at 10,000/- compared to a kilogram of coffee which fetch less than 1,000/-.
30 farmers' groups in Bukoba, Missenyi and Muleba districts, in Kagera Region recently formed a cooperative society dealing in Vanilla production in effort to have alternative cash crop.
The Director of Maruku Vanilla Farming and Processing Company Ltd, Mr Simeon Kimasha said a kilogram of green vanilla beans a farmer was being paid 9,000/- compared to a kg of coffee which fetches between 500/-1,000/-.
This is a golden opportunity for farmers in Kagera Region to make quick money by diversifying Vannila as an alternative cash crop.
A kilogram of vanilla grade one and two was being paid 9,000/- while grade three was 8,500/- up from 6,000/- paid last season. During 2014/15 crop buying season the company collected 20 tons of green vanilla beans compared to 15 tons collected during 2013/14
Two more cash crops, namely pepper and cocoa were still at preliminary stages, he said. The agriculture sector has consistently been dominant in the Kagera Regional economy.
The sector engages about 90 per cent of the region's economically active population in the production of food and cash crops. Agriculture contributes most of the region's cash income, mainly from coffee, cotton and tea. The sector accounts for about 50 per cent of the region's total income.
Mr Mongela also directed leaders in all seven districts of Muleba, Bukoba, Karagwe, Ngara, Kyerwa, Biharamulo and Misenyi districts to sensitise people to adopt fish farming and modern cattle rearing to improve their incomes.
Kagera Region has three viable cooperative unions, namely Kagera Cooperative Union (KCU), Karagwe District Cooperative Union (KDCU) and Biharamulo Cooperative Union (BCU).
The number of Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies (SACCOS) in Kagera region has increased from 232 in 2005 to 289 in 2010, equivalence of 80.3 per cent increase.
RC Mongela revealed that the working capital for SACCOS in the region also increased from 2.2bn/- in 2005 to 6.3bn/- in 2010.
He said the SACCOS also secured loans amounting to 1.4bn/-. As for honey harvesting, modern bee-hives have also increased in number, from 151,860 in 2005 to 212,250 in 2010 while dairy cattle had increased in number from 18,200 to 19,843 in the said period.
The number of cows serviced with artificial insemination had increased from 4,198 (2005) to 6,222 by 2010. Available data indicate that Kagera Region has annual yield of about 650,000 tonnes of banana.
Banana is an economic backbone of Kagera residents, comprising over 2,458,023 people, according to the 2012 Population and Housing Census.
Authorities in Kagera Region are conducting on-spot inspection of banana plantains in effort to combat the deadly Banana Xanthomonas Wilt (BXW).
Eight districts in Kagera Region have confirmed to have been hit by the destructive Banana Xanthomonas Wilt (BXW), also known as Banana Bacterial Wilt (BBW) disease. Almost 90 per cent of the entire crop is at risk of destruction.
BXW is caused by the bacterium Xanthomonas campestris and affects all types of banana. The situation has caused panic among farmers and residents in the region who depend on banana as their main staple and cash crop.
BXW is a bacterial disease that causes yellowing and wilting of the leaves, uneven and premature ripening of the fruits and eventually the plants rot and die.
Hakuna maoni:
Chapisha Maoni