ARUA PRESIDENTIAL DEMONSTRATION FARM: FARMERS CALLED TO ACQUIRE MORDERN FARMING TECHNIQUES

Some of the layers reared at the presidential farm.

By Sunday Amandi
Arua city

The local farmers in West Nile region are being urged to make better use of the presidential demonstration farm in Gill gill, Arua city to acquire modern and better farming methods so as to improve output in their farms.

Established in 2018,with the aim of providing modern and affordable farming techniques, the farm that has the capacity to handle a big number of farmers daily has not fully achieved its target of pushing majority of the farmers in the region in to money economy due to the farmers poor mindset on agriculture, and lack of information.

Aldo Atupa, the farm supervisor says, they have different enterprises at the farm for the local farmers to learn from, and urges the farmers to take up this free training opportunity.

“We have various enterprises ranging from the live stalk to the crop production, soil and water conservation, we have some agroforestry, and some sustainable practices like mushroom growing, and so on. The farm is free for everyone, and we mostly advise people to visit in groups,” Aldo said.

Demonstration farms are crucial for local farmers in Uganda as they offer practical, hands-on learning experiences, showcasing improved agricultural practices and technologies. These farms act as vital platforms for knowledge sharing, empowering farmers with skills and information to enhance productivity, food security, and resilience, particularly in the face of climate change. 

Aldo says, a good number of farmers have benefitted from the farm since its inception, but still urges more to come to the farm to acquire knowledge. “We have received quite a number of farmers both individuals and groups, and this also includes students who come for internship. Since inception, we have received a total of 2004 farmers, also 551 students, these are the ones we recorded,” he confirmed.

He encourages the people to acquire the services at the farm for free to improve on their livelihood. “We encourage the local farmers to come in big numbers to learn, it is free for people to come here, you can come to the farm as an individual, but it would be good to come as a group, so that we plan and organize, and have enough time for you to learn,” Aldo said.

Farmers can significantly benefit from demonstration farms by actively participating in learning opportunities, observing best practices, and adopting new technologies and methods. Demonstration farms provide a hands-on learning environment for farmers to witness the practical application of innovations and improve their own farming practices.