Simpson Muyambi
Farmers from Rukungiri have been tipped on how they can add value to dairy farming activities as well as forming cooperatives to help them get agricultural loans to enhance their income.
This was during a one-day workshop held at All saints church Rukungiri district organized by Single Nucleotide Variant (SNV )a nongovernmental organization that attracted farmers dealing in both dairy and crop farming in Rukungiri.
Jonas Muhwezi one of the facilitators from SNV challenged farmers to prioritize pasture growing to ensure that there is animal food security.
He told farmers to desist from feeding their animals with poorly processed hay/silage saying that it can cause diseases to animals noting that when prepared well, silage contains ingredients that can increase productivity in dairy farming.
He therefore urged farmers to unite and have a sense of financial literacy saying that SNV introduced loans through Buyanja Sacco designed to finance small and medium agricultural producers and micro agriculture-based entrepreneurs to help farmers improve household incomes and dairy value change.
Olive Nayebaare manager Buyanja Sacco said that SNV a nongovernmental organization based in the Netherlands supports farmers by providing agricultural loans through Buyanja Sacco aiming to help farmers promote, build, and sustain family farms in support of a thriving agricultural economy.
She therefore urged farmers to welcome this initiative from SNV stressing that they must use the chance profitably and improve their standards of living through agriculture.
She said through this funding from SNV, farmers can increase their household incomes as it specifically benefits crop and dairy farmers in the Kigezi region.
Beneficiaries will acquire these loans through Buyanja Sacco at very low-interest rates.
Charles Krandema a resident of Katobo cell, Kitimba Ward Rukungiri Municipality one of the farmers, hailed SNV for thinking about helping farmers in Rukungiri.
He said he would use the loan to increase his livestock farm.
