NEWS- The Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, has provided farmer groups in Ntungamo District agro industrialization machines worth millions of shillings to help them add value addition to their produce.
According to the senior district agriculture officer Atwiine Esther, the seed multiplier and seed bank received were for Rwabakyeneka organic farmers’ group in Rwahi-Rwentobo town council and Jenifer Kabeije group in Ngoma Sub County respectively both in Rushenyi County.
Atwiine noted that the machines received are crashing, Knapsacks sprayers, Threshers, Sorting machine, Moisture meter, Weighing scales, seed sealer and Thermal hygrometer which have been lacking for a long time for the two farmer groups.
She revealed that these machines will improve on value addition, quick processing of making Orange sweet potato vines (Ekitakuri kya kinzaari), Iron rich beans and increase their incomes.
Rwabakyeneka organic farmers’ group is majoring in producing and processing beans while Jenifer Kabeije group deals in Orange sweet potato vines (Ekitakuri kya kinzaari).
Ntungamo district is one of the districts in the south western region known for producing quality and quantity beans.
The chairman LCV Ntungamo Samuel Mucunguzi Rwakigoba Salongo noted that farmers have been facing challenges that affect their seed sovereignty such as lack of value addition in order to penetrate and meet the market’s standards.
Mucunguzi expressed the district’s total commitment to enhance value addition as the only way to uplift the population from poverty at household level.
He warned the farmer groups to make good use of the machines delivered to them and double their products. Twesigye David the member and trainer of Rwabakyeneka organic farmer group said that machines will help them to increase their productivity.
