Stephen Ochola, the Serere District LC V Chairperson says that Abola dam, which has 37 acres of land was a major economic driver in the area before it was silted. Ochola notes that the district has other dams with similar capacities that have been affected by silting.
FMD is currently reported across five districts in Teso Sub Region, Katakwi being the worst hit with four sub-counties (Kapujan, Getom, Katakwi and Okulonyo). The other districts are Kapelebyong with two sub-counties (Okungur and Obalanga) while Ngora, Bukedea and Amuria have a sub-county each with reported cases of FMD.
Dr Robert Ojala, the Senior Veterinary Inspector in charge of North Eastern Uganda told the City and district leaders that the Ministry had decided to repossess the land and will be used as a quarantine station for Teso Sub Region.
Prior to the 2021 general elections, President Yoweri Museveni advised all Balalo pastoralists who keep sizeable numbers of cattle to acquire land and fence it to restrict animals from encroaching on community gardens.
Frank Tumwebaze, the Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries says there is current invasion of the Quelea birds in Eastern Uganda which is affecting rice farms. The Quelea Bird also known as the red billed bird caused over 80 percent rice yield loss on average last year.
The worst-hit are the districts of Kapelebyong, Serere and Katakwi, where gardens are submerged and pasture surrounded by pools of water. Several animals have reportedly died and others too weak to produce enough milk.
Bernard Ariangu, the Chairperson of Fisheries Protection Unit- FPU at Kagwara landing site, says the least each boat gets per day is 30 kilograms of Nile Perch.
The suspension of Fishing activities rendered thousands of households vulnerable because many of them solely depended on the lake for their livelihood. Many people, who had never been to their homes for long, had to relocate from landing sites that had become part of their lives.
According to veterinary department in the three districts, the ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries delivered 10, 000 vaccines to each district.
Museveni, in his address to the nation on Sunday, alluded that ground spraying by soldiers using hand sprayers and motorized pumps was more effective than the aerial spray. He noted that the aircraft was small and unable to work at night when the insects have settled.
The vaccination comes in the wake of an outbreak of contagious bovine pleuropneumonia among cattle and goat plague that killed livestock in the district.
Dr. Francis Inangolet Olaki, the Moroto District Production Officer told URN that the swarm is the biggest to have entered the country since the first invasion on January 16th, 2020. He said the district is trucking the movement of the locusts to identity the areas where they have settled.
Wasswa Swaliki Masokoyi, the Amudat Chief Administrative Officer, says they are struggling with inadequate resources to carry out surveillance work, which he says requires a special budget if the exercise is to run smoothly.
Government has listed three chemicals to use in the spray against the desert locusts. They include Fenitrothion 96 per cent low volume formulation, which is a phosphorothioate insecticide. Others are Malathion which is an organophosphate insecticide. This is commonly used to control mosquitoes and a variety of insects that attack fruits, vegetables, landscaping plants, and shrubs as well as Pyrethroid insecticides.
Dr. Francis Inangolet Olaki, the Moroto District Production Officer told URN on Thursday morning the district has dispatched four experts led by the Entomology officer to keep watch at the border and report back to the District and Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industries and Fisheries.
The 4P model was applied in Kalangala to bring together 1,300 oil palm outgrowing farmers, the Government of Uganda through the Vegetable Oil Development Project, the funders from the International Fund for Agricultural Development and the Private partners who include oil Palm Uganda Limited.
According to the District Veterinary Officer of Kotido, Dr Henry Mulondo, up to 80 percent of the livestock in the district could be infected with Foot and Mouth disease due to the high morbidity of the disease.
Dr Anthony Taabu Munyaho, the Director National Fisheries Resources Research Institute, says that the proposal was tabled for review by a Chinese investor. He, however, adds that they rejected it citing the numerous risks.
Deo Okello Latigo, an Agricultural Inspector, says the inputs were seized during an inspection in six Agro-Input shops including Mak-Kweri, Okado, Gang Pur, Pur Lonyo, Lapur Pe Tur, and Lute Agro-Input Investment, all in Gulu town.
