By Richard Onapatum
In pursuit of achieving Zero Hunger and fostering sustainable development, Ahamada Washaki, the Resident District Commissioner (RDC) for Kumi District, has rallied farmers in the Teso region to leverage the current rainy season for productive farming.
Having recently assumed his role in Kumi after a transfer from Mbale, Washaki emphasized the importance of utilizing available land for agricultural purposes, stressing the need for local food production. Reflecting on his own experience, he highlighted how he capitalized on the abundant land in Kumi by leasing it for agricultural activities to meet his food needs.
“I took advantage of the available land for agricultural purposes when I arrived in Kumi. My goal was to produce my own food,” Washaki stated.
Encouraging farmers to scale up their agricultural activities, Washaki suggested planting crops across more acres to generate surplus for sale, thereby bolstering income levels within the community. Drawing from his own success, he shared his achievement of earning 2 million shillings from cultivating sweet potatoes on just one acre, proceeds of which he reinvested in expanding his cassava plantation.
“I currently have two acres of high-yielding cassava ready for harvest,” Washaki revealed.
Highlighting the availability of NAROCAS1 cassava cuttings at 25,000 shillings per bag and fresh cassava at 500 shillings per kilogram, Washaki expressed his readiness to supply interested individuals with both cassava and cuttings. He assured potential buyers of a quick turnaround, noting that within eight months, the cassava would be ready for consumption.
Leveraging the benefits of the previous rainy season, Washaki shared his optimistic projections of yielding 150 bags of cuttings and 10 tonnes of fresh cassava from his farm, underscoring the potential for farmers to thrive by maximizing the current weather conditions for agricultural production.