OYAM:
Farmers who are growing rice at the Tochi Rice irrigation scheme in Acaba sub-county, Oyam district are unhappy as they may not have a good harvest due to the many rats that have invaded the scheme and are busy destroying the rice that has been planted.
According to the farmers’ report, rats invaded the scheme last year in December and have been destroying the rice by cutting the stems and eating the grains after cutting them down. Almost 1242 hectares in the scheme have now been invaded by rats, and many farmers have left their plots idle.
Emanuel Arwai, a farmer, says they have tried many ways to kill the rats, but their numbers keep increasing, and his plots of three hectares are now invaded by rats that are destroying the rice.
George Okello, the chairperson of the Tochi Rice irrigation growers, says many rice growers at Tochi are losing hope of continuing to grow rice at the scheme, as they have tried many ways to kill the rats, including using chemicals, traps, and even bringing cats into the scheme, but the numbers of rats in the scheme are not reducing.
RDC Oyam Hope Atuhaire says they have forwarded the complaint to the Ministry of Agriculture, which is responsible for the project that was implemented under the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries. They have promised to bring chemicals that can prevent rats from destroying rice.
The Tochi Rice irrigation scheme was opened in 2016 and was implemented under the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries at a cost of 2.8 billion shillings aimed at improving agricultural activities in Oyam through growing rice and keeping fish. It now has over 900 farmers growing rice.
The post Ministry of Agriculture Urged to Intervene as Rats Destroy Rice Fields in Tochi Irrigation Scheme appeared first on The Ankole Times.
