Africa-Press – Uganda. The government through the Ministry of Water and Environment has finalized the process of procuring farm tractors and assorted tractor implements for six irrigation schemes in the country, to boost production.
The tractors will “help farmers in opening their gardens and ploughing.”
Currently, the majority of farmers practicing commercial agriculture within the five schemes are relying on hand hoes.
The beneficiary schemes include Wadelai irrigation scheme in Pakwach District, Tochi in Oyam, Itek-Okile in Lira District, Mubuku II in Kasese District, Doho II in Butaleja and Ngenge in Kwen District.
The equipment have been procured under the African Development Bank-funded Farm Income Enhancement and Forestry Conservation Programme.
Alfred Okot Okidi, the water ministry permanent secretary, confirmed the development, saying “the contractor – Cooper Motor Corporation (U) Ltd – was at the stage of clearing the tractors.”
He said the tractors were delayed to be delivered to the beneficiary schemes because the first contractor the ministry had sourced to supply the equipment failed the government.
“So, we had to get Cooper Motor and as I speak now, they say they are clearing the tractors. We should be able to deliver the tractors not only for Tochi but for all the schemes. Actually by mid-December, we should be delivering the tractors to all the schemes,” Okot told this publication in an interview in Gulu City on Saturday.
He added that: “Tochi had already received some equipment such as computers, printers, bicycles, motorcycles and a water quality testing kit.”
However, he said farmers should ensure they own the schemes.
“There are problems that farmers should be addressing themselves now like the canals, soil will go there. They need to clean the canals. You don’t expect government to send engineers to come and start cleaning the canals for you,” Okot emphasized.
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