Minister of Agriculture Vincent Bamulangaki Sempijja has advised farmers all across the country not to wait upon government, but carry on and purchase their own farming implements such as tractors as a way of enhancing large scale commercial farming.
Tractors are not very expensive, said the minister, and considering the work they do, they are worth the investment.
He pointed out, “A tractor with its plough will cost only Shs 90million and if you show commitment, government may come in and support you.
“I therefore call upon Ugandan farmers, especially those with the financial ability to go and acquire their own tractors and avoid lining up for those that government has started handing out.
The minister made the call on the weekend after President Yoweri Museveni launched a government agricultural mechanization initiative in which over 40 tractors were given out to farmer clusters in the western cattle corridor districts.
At the event, the minister announced that government will be importing more tractors to expand this initiative to other parts of the country.
“In the next budget starting July, government expects to import 168 tractors. This will be done every year with initial emphasis on animal feeds growers,” he said.
The minister added that the beneficiaries will be farmers willing to join clusters especially in areas affected most by drought.
He however warned, “Although the tractors are given freely, they still remain property of government and therefore they can’t be used for works they are not meant for.’’
The cluster members are also expected to pay user fee to Post Bank for tractor maintenance to avoid wear and tear.