Farmers have been advised to start preparing for planting as they prepare for the rainy season expected to kick off across the country.
The call was made by Mr. Byarugaba Michael the Rukungiri district secretary for production, marketing, and natural resources.
Michael said that during this long period of the dry season, a number of farmers have lost their animals and others ran short of foodstuff because they never prepared for the dry season.
He said during the rainy season, there are always plenty of pastures that cattle keepers and other livestock farmers can preserve, and make hay and silage to cater for the dry spell when there are not enough green pastures.
He, however, noted that the farmers can also use the dry season to purchase farm inputs and prepare their gardens for early planting when the rainy season begins.
Jonas Muhwezi the field officer in Rukungiri district said that farmers always have smiles on their faces when rain begins although it leaves most unprepared livestock farmers in tears and end up losing most of their animals.
He said keeping goats is as profitable as rearing cattle and pigs but rain spells regardless of numerous sickness and increase in animal death rates on the farm thence asking farmers to be well prepared for this dangerous season.
In so, Muhwezi warned farmers to guard against tick-borne diseases and worms by vaccinating animals in time, and for people who live on slopes and highlands to put in place soil conservation structures to prevent soil erosion in this forthcoming rainy season.
