Farmers count losses as fire razes gardens

A total of 112 farmers in Ntungamo and Itojo sub-counties  of  Ntungamo District are counting losses after a fire destroyed several crops, trees and other projects in the Butaare- Ruhanga hills on last week.

Farmers have been using Butaare-Ruhanga hills that stretch for about two square kilometres for both agriculture and settlement.

 Although the cause of the fire is not yet established, residents suspect  that it could have been work of an arsonist.

 Mr Enock Mwesigye, one of the affected farmers, revealed that he lost 21 acres of crops and 140 beehives in the fire. 

“I have lost almost all my commercial crops.  I started growing these crops about eight years ago after returning from training in Israel, under a project funded by the First Lady. We were taught how to grow crops on hills. I put in all the money I had but now I don’t know where to start from,” Mr Enock Mwesigye, one of the affected farmers, told Daily Monitor on Sunday.

Mr Warren Tumusiime, another farmer, asked government to offer them the necessary support saying he lost everything in the fire and  doesn’t know how he will manage to feed his family. 

“If government does not come in to support us, some people may commit suicide. The biggest challenge is that we can not find out who set this hill on fire. It could be mere herdsmen or anyone else, we need government to come in.” Mr Tumusiime said.

Issue

The Ntungamo sub-county  councillor, Mr Naboth Mpirirwe, said some individuals, especially herdsmen, burn hills during the dry spell  on claims that it would help improve the pastures once the rainy season sets in. 

 “We have tried to sensitise people that they abandon the practice of burning the pastures. We shall engage the police to hunt suspect and make sure they serve as examples. You can’t destroy people’s investments like that.” Mr Mpirirwe said. 

The Ntungamo natural resources officer, Ms Dinah Tumwebaze, said they were working on supporting  the  affected farmers whom she said had been aiding conservation of the hills.

Source: Daily Monitor