A privately-owned tractor in Isingiro District plows a garden in July. The government distributed tractors to farmers this year. PHOTO | FELIX BASIIME
TUESDAY AUGUST 18 2020
Mr Alex Mbagaya, a tractor operator in Mbarara District, boasts of ploughing more than 10 acres of land in a day, a job 10 people cannot do in more than two weeks.
While he credits the tractor for saving time, Mr Peterson Kakuru, the chairperson of Rwanyamahembe Sub-county in Mbarara, spends less on labour.
“It is cheaper because you spend more using labourers to plough an acre with hand hoes.
Besides, the tractor penetrates deeper into the soil than a hand hoe and this improves yields,” Mr Kakuru says.
The two are among thousands of people throughout the country that have benefitted from using tractors distributed by the government between January and March in order to promote agricultural mechanisation and commercial farming.
The Ministry of Agriculture under the National Agricultural Advisory Services (Naads) supplied three tractors to 114 districts in fulfilment of a 2011 presidential pledge of providing each sub-county with a tractor.
Months later, farmers have realised increased production.
“Some farmers in Kwania are cultivating more than 100 acres of land in a season,” Mr George Ojok Ocen, the Kwania District production coordinator, says. Consumption has also increased on a family scale.
“Many people growing food for home use or selling have embraced the use of the tractor. This has increased food as well as income,” Mr Stephen Katanaka, a member of Rubaya Dairy Farmers Group in Rubaya Sub-county, Mbarara, says.
Bumper harvest
In Tororo, the district has registered a bumper harvest mainly in the second season due to the uniform preparation of land.
“We are even seeing prices for hiring the equipment reduce because initially, we had only three tractors serving the district and these would make farmers wait, and sometimes miss out on the season and others end up making losses,” Mr Joseph Okoth, the district production engineer, says.
He adds that the tractors have reduced the pressure on private service providers.
“We see it as leverage for the farmers because some of them (private service providers) used to overcharge. Besides, some of them used to delay cultivation because they preferred upfront payment for hire fees which were more than Shs150,000 but now, the government tractors charge between Shs80,000 and Shs90,000 basing on the work they do,” Mr Okoth says.
In Rakai, Mr Meddy Kanyike, the district agricultural officer, says more than 30 Kenyan trucks move around the area per week to buy cereal crops.
Dr Emmanuel Kawooya, the Sembabule District production officer, says since the acquisition of the tractors, production has almost tripled, especially for maize and coffee since farming groups are growing on a large scale.
He also says farmers started growing pastures which act as animal feeds during the dry spells.
In Nwoya District, many farmers have now opened up their land to take advantage of the tractors.
“There has been an increase in acreage opening with each farmer opening more than10 acres per planting season compared to the time they didn’t have tractors,” Mr Alfred Kilama, the district agricultural officer, says.
The situation is similar in Amuru, Gulu, Pader, Agago, Kitgum and Lamwo districts.
However, some areas have few tractors yet their demand is high. For example, in some northern, eastern and western regions, farmers have resorted to using ox-ploughs because they cannot get tractors in time.
Although Apac received two tractors from Naads last year, Mr Charles Ogang, the chairperson of Kungu Cereal Farmers’ Cooperative, says the demand for the tractor is always overwhelming.
“Farming is seasonal in Lango Sub-region and sometimes many people are waiting for the same tractor,” he says.
The tractor serves Akokoro and Ibuje sub-counties and sometimes Chegere.
“During the first season, I wanted to open a large chunk of land and I booked a tractor but after waiting for some time, I resorted to ox-ploughing to catch up with the planting season,” Mr Denis Nengo, a farmer in Akokoro Sub-county, says.
Mr Christopher Okwang, the chairman of Alito Joint Christian Farmers’ Cooperative Society in Kole District, appealed to government to provide more tractors.
“Government should have at least procured 10 tractors per district if it was serious about promoting large-scale commercial farming to increase household income,” Mr Okwang says.
In West Nile Sub-region, farmers want the government to provide more and better tractors because they often break down.
“It would be better if the government reduces the rate of hiring these tractors if farmers are to embrace mechanisation. Many of our farmers cannot afford to hire a tractor at Shs90,000 or Shs100,000 per acre because if they are using hoes, it costs about Shs50,000 which is cheaper,” Mr Nason Adiga, a farmer in Owaffa Sub-county in Terego District, says.
Naads officials told farmers in Arua and Maracha districts to buy other complements such as trailers, harrows and planters, among others, after one year to improve the production.
In Yumbe, the district production coordinator, Mr Rashid Kawawa, concurs that three tractors are inadequate.
Mr Ismail Tibo, a commercial farmer at Alinga Village in Kuru Sub-county, says supplying a tractor to each commercial farmer could be the best option to minimise some costs.
Some beneficiaries claim the tractors have developed mechanical conditions despite the one-year guarantee by the supplier.
Poor terrain
However, some technical staff, who preferred anonymity, say the government did not consider the topography of some districts, adding that the soils were not tested to match with the tractor strengths.
“Soil testing and terrain are key factors for the smooth operation of any earth-moving machine, so I don’t think this was done prior to the supply of these tractors. That is why some tractors have issues in different areas,” an engineer says.
“We have experienced a lot of breakdowns, especially with parts of the lower left arm, the hub bolts and stabilisers. However, we have bought some of these parts after failing to get them from ENGSOL (Engineering Solutions (U) Ltd),” Bufunjo Concerned Citizens for Development, a community-based organisation in Bufunjo, Kifuka Town council, in Kyenjojo state in their Tractor general progressive performance report released on August 6.
For instance, Kabale District received tractors in 2000 but the project failed due to the hilly terrain.
“Due to the rugged terrain, they (tractors) did not perform to the expectations of the farmers,” Mr Beda Mwebesa, the district production and marketing officer, says.
Mr Robert Erisat Okitoi, the Amuria District chairman, says the nature of the machinery is weak, adding that farmers cannot afford to hire tractors since prices are high.
“For each acre, one has to use between Shs120,000 and Shs150,000 yet for animal traction, it is Shs80,000,” Mr Okitoi says.
He adds that about three groups received tractors but they are struggling to maintain them.
Mr Okitoi advised the government to purchase strong and durable tractors preferably from Japan, Germany and the UK rather than the brand (TAFE 45 DIModel) they gave to farmers.
Mr Madrine Naziwa, an engineer in the Agriculture ministry, says the tractors were procured through ENGSOL and Cooper Motor Corporation (U) Ltd.
Ms Grace Kazigati, an official at the Naads secretariat, says the average price is Shs62.5m for the 40Hp tractor and Shs77.5m for the 60Hp ones.
However, she says the prices offered in bids do not always reflect market rates.
The tractors were distributed to successful farmers who would use them and hire them to others at a fee of Shs80,000 as and when the need arose.
Each beneficiary group received a tractor, TAFE 45 DI Model together with one disc plough and one offset disc harrow.
The tractors supplemented the earlier batch comprising 280 tractors that the government procured in March last year.
Compiled by Felix Basiime, Scovia Atuhaire, Bill Oketch, Santo Ojok, Patrick Ebong, Enid Ninsiima, Alfred Tumushabe, Felix Warom, Scovin Iceta, Elema Robert, JosephOmollo, Pheobe Masongole, Simon Peter Emwamu, George Muron, Ambrose Musasizi, Wilson Kutamba, Malik Fahad Jjingo, Robert Muhereza & Polycap Kalokwera
