Minister of Agriculture Vincent ssempijja

Government has resolved to phase out the supply of free planting materials and animals to farmers after noticing losses.

This was revealed by the minister of Agriculture, Vincent sempijja, while meeting with the seed companies, the parliamentary committee on Agriculture and officials from operation wealth creation at parliament.

Sempijja said that government will attach a cost and make a top up to enable farmers get planting materials of their choice

He said that this policy is being revised because some of the farmers given free materials  have not been taking them serious hence leaving them to dry and animals left to die thinking that they belong to government.

Sempijja said that government will attach a cost and make a top up to enable farmers get planting materials of their choice

He also revealed that government is going to gazette seed supplying  and importing companies to stop brief case seed companies so as people get to know where they are found in case there any problem in their supplied seeds.

The vice chairperson of the parliamentary committee on Agriculture who is also mp for Buvuma county Robert Migadde Ndugwa said that some of seed supplying companies have no capacity to supply seeds to farmers though their services was procured by government.

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Minister of Agriculture Vincent Sempijja

A government operation to close coffee factories and arrest a group of people behind the harmful coffee harvesting practices is soon extending to most parts of the country.

The operation which was first conducted in greater Masaka districts oversaw the closure of many coffee factories which were found processing wet coffee and has now closed to more than two months.

Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, Vincent Sempijja, while justifying the closure of some of the coffee factories in the greater Masaka districts said that the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) acted basing on the deteriorating quality of coffee produced in the region.

Sempijja said that the operation against the harmful coffee harvesting practices is following a directive the President issued in September 2011, to arrest farmers and traders who buy wet coffee for spoiling the country’s international market.

Processed Uganda coffee beans

He said this practice negatively affects coffee quality and compromises incomes to farmers and the nation.

Sempijja said those who were arrested as coffee processors failed to adhere to the coffee standards put in place.

“If harmful coffee harvesting practices are not stopped, it will pose a serious danger to Uganda coffee competitiveness on global market and health of Ugandans and consumers abroad,” adding that; “I assure members of Parliament that this is a routine activity across the country and  all regions will be reached in an effort to standardize good coffee stakeholders and in the nation,” he said.

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The MPs made the remarks while debating the ministerial statement on the water weed on Lake Victoria presented to Parliament by the State Minister for Environment, Mary Goreti Kitutu Kimono.

Margaret Komuhangi right together with the Leader of Opposition Winnie Kizza left.

The MP for Nakasongola district, Margaret Komuhangi, said that this weed has led people to die on water in Nakasongola when it cuts them off while fishing.

MPs that included that for Kyoga County, Anthony Okello, Amolter district Woman MP, Doreen Amule, said that there should be measures to remove this weed from Lake Kyoga so that it does not spread over other water bodies and affect fishing and transport.

In his response the Minister of Agriculture, Vincent Sempijja, assured Parliament and the fishing community that this water weed will be removed as soon as possible since the machines to carry out this work are available .

Part of Lake Kyoga

This new weed has small leaves while in some parts of this lake is known as Nankabirwa weed and it tends to multiply fast.

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