Posted on April, 25, 2016 at 09:22 am
By Meddy Mulisa
Bukoba — Small-scale farmers in Kagera Region have been encouraged to preserve post harvest food as precaution against food insecurity.
An Agricultural Officer at the regional secretariat, Mr Godwin Vedasto said small-scale farmers in the region were being encouraged to take precautionary measures and store carefully the post harvest food, following a warning by the World Food Programme (WFP), that about 14 million people in Southern Africa are facing hunger because of last year's poor harvest, caused by El Nino weather pattern.
In a statement released on Monday, the WFP, which is the UN's food-assistance branch, gave a warning that the number of people without enough food is likely to rise further in 2016, as drought worsens throughout the region.
However, Kagera Regional Commissioner (RC), Maj Gen (rtd) Salim Mustapha Kijuu informed Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa during his recent three-days tour that the region had sufficient food reserves. About 70 per cent of the region's 2.7 million population depend on agriculture for their livelihoods and as their main source of income.
Food crops includes; maize, beans, rice, bananas, sweet potatoes, cassava, vegetables and fruits. Cash crops includes; coffee, tobacco,cotton, honey, fish and vanilla beans. The region has about 1.5 million livestock including 550,070 head of cattle - 528,632 indigenous breed and 21,438 dairy cows, 593,607 goats and 53,061 sheep.
The region has a total area of 1.2 hectares suitable for livestock improvement while 500,000 hectares are utilized, equivalent to only 45 per cent.
However, the region faces shortage of Agricultural Extension Officers. Data indicates that while the needed number stood at 1,000 those available were 441, equivalent to 48 per cent with a shortage of 573 extension officers (52 per cent).
Biharamulo District had 52 extension officers with shortage of 49. Bukoba District had 74 extension officers with shortage of 44. Karagwe District had shortage of 60 officers while those available were 60. Kyerwa District had shortage of 193 extension officers while those available were 48.
Ngara district has 51 agricultural officers and shortage of 56. Muleba district has shortage of 63 extension officers while those available were 80. Misenyi district has shortage of 65 agricultural officers -those available were 48.
Kagera Regional Commissioner (RC), Major Gen (rtd) Salim Mustapha Kijuu, has appealed for commitment and hard work warning that there was no room for laxity. Gen Kijuu said the fifth phase government under President John Magufuli was committed to serve well the majority poor and asked every one to pull up his/her socks to fulfill this promise.
He emphasized that each one should fulfill his/her duty without waiting to be pushed from behind. He directed District Commissioners in Bukoba, Biharamulo, Muleba, Ngara, Karagwe, Kyerwa and Misenyi Districts to ensure that people work hard and stop loitering.
He directed them to ensure that the region has enough food reserve. 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 Kijuu also directed leaders in all seven districts of Muleba, Bukoba, Karagwe, Ngara, Kyerwa, Biharamulo and Misenyi districts to sensitize 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 indicates that Kagera Region has annual yield of about 650,000 tonnes.
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.
Source: http://allafrica.com