RUKUNGIRI – Rukungiri District has received 900 bags of Organic New Earth (O.N.E) Manure for distribution to farmers under a government programme implemented through the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The consignment, with each bag weighing 50 kilograms, arrives as part of a broader national strategy to support farmers engaged in coffee, tea, cocoa, and horticultural production, addressing the critical need for soil fertility improvement across the country.
Rukungiri District LC5 Chairperson, Andrewson Charles Katebire, has welcomed the programme but appealed to the government to consider reducing the farmers’ contribution, saying 54,000 shillings could be too much for some farmers to afford.
Cue in: Chairperson Katebire. RR
The Deputy RDC, Wilberforce Ahimbisibwe Ongom, urged farmers to apply the manure correctly and follow all usage instructions, while also calling on extension workers to prioritize farmer training over mere distribution.
He further directed the district Production Department to rigorously monitor the entire distribution chain and systematically evaluate the manure’s tangible impact on farm productivity and household food security.
Cue in: Deputy RDC Ongom. RR
The Chief Administrative Officer, Fatuma Kamanzi, said the district will engage agricultural and production officers to educate farmers on the proper use of the manure.
Meanwhile, Karembe Mbabazi, the Principal Consultant at Dei-Bio Pharma, said the programme follows a government directive to provide fertilizers to farmers engaged in coffee, tea, cocoa, and horticultural production.
Mbabazi said O.N.E manure is intended to improve soil fertility and that extension workers in Rukungiri and other beneficiary districts will be trained to guide farmers on its proper use.
Cue in: Principal Consultant Mbabazi. RR
The 900 bags are poised to deliver significant benefits to farmers across Rukungiri District, pending the ministry’s timely issuance of clear guidelines on distribution and the modalities of payment.
