Some farmers during the training at Elshadai farm in Opong village. Photo by Stephen Odong

By Stephen Odong

Omoro

Syova seeds Uganda limited has trained more than 50 farmers on how to properly select and use the right chemicals or herbicides to improve crop productivity.
This training took place on Friday October 11, 2024 in Opong village, Angaba parish Koro Sub County in Omoro district. 

Syova seeds Uganda ltd field agronomist for Acholi subregion Mr. Micheal Ocen explained the reason why the decided to organize for the farmers field day specifically focusing on proper selection and use of chemical.

“We have chosen this because there is a gap in chemical use, most farmers do not know how to use chemicals and others do not know when and how to spray as well, they don’t know how to dress when they are using chemical in the gardens so we have arranged this so that we solve that problem together as farming community that involves farmers, Agro input dealers being headed by Syova seeds Uganda limited.”

He added that improper use of chemical was affecting farmers in a way that some farmers during harvest time still spray chemicals on the crop and yet the pre-harvest interval does not allow that because after the chemical is sprayed, it should stay for two to three weeks before the harvesting time but most famers do not follow that, the practice poses a lot health risks to the consumers.

The area LC1 of Angaba, Mr. Francis Ojara appealed for the continued sensitization of farmers on proper use of chemicals. “The biggest challenge among the farmers is on how to properly mix water and the chemical.”

“I appeal to the Agro input dealers to always check on the farmers because some farmers do not know how to describe some crop diseases which makes them to give wrong chemicals of herbicides to them thus affecting the crops,” he remarked.

Farmers being shown on how to use the sprayer. Photo by Stephen Odong

Denis Onencan, the farm manager of Elshadai farm said he used to spend at least 100,000shs for weeding one hector of maize garden but now he spends only 46000shs on buying chemical for weeding his maize making him to save 54000sh per hector which he now uses to hire people to help him in spraying the maize. “I now spend little money on weeding my maize since I use chemical for weeding opposed to hiring people to weed them manually,” he said.

Salome Abalo, one of the Agro input dealers in Gulu city said that such farmers` training gives them the opportunity to get feedback insistently and directly from the farmers. “It`s true farmers have a lot of challenges on how to use chemicals and it is our responsibility to make sure that the farmers get the right information and prescriptions pertaining the chemicals they buy from us, our business solely depends on them and without them we will be out of business,” she echoed.