Rukungiri- A section of farmers in Rukungiri district have expressed disappointment over the prevalence of counterfeit agro-inputs on the market, saying that the vice is likely to retard the agriculture sector if not addressed as soon as possible.
The farmers said they have been duped into buying fake agro inputs (seedlings, acaricides, pesticides) on the open market, expecting to get good yields yet they never sprout.
During a one day farmers workshop organized by the ministry of agriculture, animal industry and fisheries (MAAIF) on the implementation of Smart climate agriculture project which took place at the district headquarters in the district council hall, the farmers said they are spending so much on buying agro inputs which are not effective asking the government to intervene.
Mr Sam Muguma, a livestock farmer in Nyakagyeme sub-county with a farm of over 50 cows said about two weeks he brought a caricide with a lot of expectations that it will kill the ticks but it has totally failed to at least kill a single tick.
Mr Muguma puts the whole blame on the government which failed to regulate Acaricides that are being sold in the market adding that the government should put agro input shops to help farmers buy quality inputs to use.
“The National Drug Authority and Ministry of Agriculture should crack down on dealers of fake agro-inputs if they are to protect farmers and even put up agro-input shops which are fully owned and manned by the government, ” Mr. Muguma said.
Mr Michael Kushaba, another farmer from Buyanja sub- county in Rukungiri district said ‘’Last season I planted 200 kgs of beans but only a quarter of the planted seeds germinated. This problem left me in debts since I had acquired a loan from the bank’’.
Mr Kushaba now wants the government to intervene and put up a policy that will regulate the selling of fake seeds from the market.
‘’ We are left to buy seeds from the open market yet the government is there watching. I think the government should at least support us with seedlings or direct us to get quality seeds because we are only incurring losses”. Mr Kushaba said.
Mr Richard Twinomujuni, an apple farmer from Kebisoni sub- County in Rukungiri district said the government has totally failed to regulate agro- input shops that are selling them.
“We are left to buy agro inputs from the open market yet the government is there watching. I think the government should at least support us with agro-inputs or direct us on where to get quality inputs because we are only incurring losses,” Mr Twinomujuni said.
Mr Kenneth Turyasingura, another farmer and a resident of Bugangari sub-county said the number of agro input dealers in the sub-county sell fake or expired agriculture inputs.
‘’ I have lost several gardens of cabbages, cornflowers, beans among others after spraying with fake agro-inputs because my crops dried up shortly after spraying’’. Mr Turyasingura said.
The Buyanja Sub-county chairperson Mr Agaba Emmy Rubondo said his office has received several complaints from farmers that most shops sell fake or expired agriculture inputs.
‘’ Most of the farmers in the sub-county are illiterate to the extent that they cannot read the on the containers of inputs and end up buying expired inputs which lead them to huge losses’’. Mr Rubondo said.
The Rukungiri district chairperson Mr Geoffery Kyomukama urged farmers to always seek guidance from the sub-county Agricultural Extension workers on where to buy the agro-inputs.
‘’ I know that the whole market is full of fake agro-inputs but that should not stop you from doing agriculture. As a government we are not seated and it is from this point that I am sending a strong warning to all agro input dealers that very soon we will be sending a team from the district production department to arrest whoever will be found selling fake or expired agro inputs ’’. Mr Kyomukama said.
The Rukungiri district principal production and marketing officer Mr Onek Pius acknowledged the influx of fake agro-inputs but said the district has embarked on compiling a list of certified dealers, which will be available to the farmers.
Mr Onek also advised farmers to ask for receipts from farm stores and report to extension workers suspected of selling fake inputs.
‘’ Some agro-inputs may be genuine but fail to serve the intended purpose because of poor application and usage by farmers. Am therefore asking them to always seek the services of qualified extension workers and veterinary officers to minimize such risks” Mr Onek said.
The Rukungiri municipal assistant veterinary officer Denis Tugume said the problem of fake Acaricides cuts across the entire nation adding that there is no policy framework that local authorities can use to monitor and eliminate the fake seeds from the market.
“If the policies were comprehensive enough, stringent conditions would be put in place to state who is selling quality Acaricides and other agro-inputs’’. Mr Tugume said.
