Led by Maj. Gen. Sam Kavuma, the Deputy Commander of Land Forces the soldiers donned protective gears on their faces as they combed Komoret village where the desert locusts settled in the wee hours of Thursday morning.
Many believed that the type of green bubble-coloured, short-horned grasshopper which was cited in different plantations in Lwega parish was a swarm of highly destructive wild locusts, which were in the recent past cited in Kenya.
During the meeting, Rwamirama instructed the total enforcement of the quarantine for two weeks to allow for a comprehensive vaccination exercise against the FMD in the area, after which an assessment would be conducted for possible opening of all livestock markets.
A kilogram of small-sized fish maw costs 160,000 Shillings on the local market while a kilogram of medium-sized maws costs between 350,000 and 800,000 Shillings. A large maw that can make more than a Kilogram costs up to 1,100,000. The maw costs between USD 450 (1.6 million Shillings) to 1,000 (3.6 million Shillings) on the international market.
The farmers are spraying their animals with high concentrations of chemical mixtures that include pests and insecticides, acaricides and other weed-killers to invent own toxic concoctions that can suppress the ticks.
Rwamirama instructed for a total quarantine restriction for livestock and all related products for a period running for 14 days, to allow for a comprehensive vaccination exercise against Foot and Mouth Disease-FMD virus, after which an assessment will be conducted for possible opening of all markets.
Ssekikubo vows to continue defying what he described as an unjustifiable quarantine, indicating that he will lead farmers to take their livestock to the market on Friday.
Addressing farmers in Kalungu district on Saturday, Ssempijja explained that the unguided practice of inter-cropping is affecting greatly productivity in many parts of the country and thereby giving a wrong impression of agriculture.
However, the legislator accuses Tumwine of enforcing the quarantine to create a monopoly and profiteer from cattle trade with his business associates at the expense of local livestock farmers.
Herdsmen and cattle dealers in Lwemiyaga County are at loggerheads with the district security personnel accusing them of imposing on the area unjustified quarantine, which has affected people’s livelihoods.
Willy Lugoloobi, the Kalangala District LC V Chairperson concurs with Ssempijja, saying there is need to regulate the operations of the unit instead of halting its operations.
Dr. Emmanuel Kalungi Kawooya, the Sembabule District Production Officer as well as the Marketing Coordinator, says studies found that several water sources in the area contained toxic residual elements from agrochemicals varying between 40 to 50 percent.
Since Tuesday, the Sembabule district Police Commander Denis Musinguzi deployed antiriot personnel in Lwemiyaga where they have been engaging herdsmen in running battles to foil their attempts of taking livestock to market places, which were eventually also closed down.
Honey production has been changing fortunes for residents in Amudat district who initially relied heavily on cattle keeping and subsistence farming. For the last two years, production has increased thanks to support from district production office and Nabuin Zonal Agricultural Research Development Institute.
According to NARO’s Director-General Dr Ambrose Agona, the new vaccine has been developed by a team of Ugandan scientists led by Paul Kashaija, a PhD student, with assistance from Spaniard experts headed by Prof. Jose Dela Founte.
Dr Patience Rwamigisha, the commissioner in charge of agricultural extension services, says since the creation of their directorate in 2015, they were entrusted to ensure the revival of the centres.
Patrick Ssendyowa, the chairperson of Mateete Coffee Farmers’ Cooperative Union says that the existing gap of extension services is directly contributing to very low and poor farm yields, which frustrates the aspirations of commercial agriculture. But Ssendyowa adds that despite the high demand for extension services, the area is poorly served.
