Africa-Press – Uganda. Scientists from National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO,) and the Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences International (CABI) have stressed the need to extend timely agricultural extension services to smallholder farmers to boost production and improve on the quality of their farm products.
Speaking at a dialogue to discuss the Plantwise plus programme held in Kampala, Dr Morris Akiri, the Senior Regional Director for CABI Africa said organizing farm clinics in selected public places like markets and places of worship is one of the ways small holder farmers can access vital information such as managing pests and diseases.
“In countries where the ratio of extension officers to farmers is mismatched, utilizing avenues such as farm clinics and digital innovations where information can be easily accessed online would be a better option rather than waiting for one extension officer riding a bicycle to serve a bigger number of famers,” Dr Akiri said.
He said that in 2011, CABI initiated the Plantwise classic programme to offer plant clinics and designed a knowledge bank which collected data to help provide information about disease surveillance and pest management preparedness in six focus countries including Uganda.
The programe ran up to 2021 and a similar component has been coined into Plantwise Plus programme that will be fully operational used next year to enhance extension services in selected countries.
” We are looking at not only helping farmers to produce more and lose less of what they produce, but also produce safer foods.Food safety is something that is critical to the programme,” Dr Akiri noted.
“When they spray with dangerous chemicals, the may kill the bees that help in pollination and lower yields instead. Beside, their farm products may be rejected on some markets,” he added.
He noted that whereas the Plantwise Classic programme that was implemented for three years reached about 60 million farmers, Plantwise Plus whose implementation will kick off next year, is expected to cover an additional 70 million farmers in selected countries in a period of seven years.
About six countries, of which four are from Africa including Uganda, are expected to benefit from the $100million project.
Christine Alokit, Communication and Extension Scientist at CABI said they are also promoting peer to peer extension services where farmers who receive extension services extend the knowledge acquired to their fellow farmers.
Alokit said farmers should opt for low risk solutions to avoid food contamination.
Dr Barbra Zawedde Mugwanya, the director of research at the Mukono Zonal Agricultural Research Institute (ZARDI) of the National Agricultural Research Organisation, said Uganda partnered with CABI to package information for extension workers to share with farmers.
“We do research on forestry, fisheries, crops and livestock. With this project, we provided research information that we had and CABI simplified it and developed Information education and communication materials on pests and diseases control for cassava, coffee, maize, beans and aquaculture,” she said.
Dr Zawedde said under the PlantwisePlus programme, such information would be digitalised to ease access to timely extension services for better yields.
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