Africa-Press – Uganda. President Museveni has cautioned farmers with small land holdings against engaging in tea cultivation, citing the potential challenges associated with the crop.
The remarks were made during a meeting with tea farmers from across the country, including growers, processors, and nursery operators, held at Bushenyi Main Stadium. The gathering attracted several dignitaries, including Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa, ministers, Members of Parliament, and Resident District Commissioners (RDCs).
The meeting aimed to address pressing issues in the tea sector, including low market prices and delays in government payments to nursery tea operators.
President Museveni emphasized that crops such as tea, coffee, cotton, maize, and sugarcane are intensive ventures that require substantial land and resources to be profitable. He advised that small-scale farmers carefully consider their land use before taking up such crops.
“From the beginning when tea farming was starting, I advised that farmers with small land should not take part in tea farming. For example, when I visited Kabale and found the Kabale Diocese had engaged in tea farming, I advised Bishop Callist Rubaramira that tea should be grown by those with larger pieces of land,” President Museveni noted.
He added that his advice often goes unheeded, likening it to the parable of the sower in the Bible: “Whenever I speak, my words fall on dry ground, which is why they are not always considered, and we sometimes face challenges.”
The Bushenyi meeting provided a platform for farmers to raise concerns and share ideas directly with the president. Observers will be watching closely to see how Museveni’s guidance may influence decisions in Uganda’s tea sector, particularly for small-scale farmers.
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