Ugandans urged to embrace Hass avocado and macadamia to improve incomes
Stakeholders in the promotion of Hass avocado and macadamia met in Kyenjojo district to reflect and strategize on how to promote the two high value crops. The review and planning meeting that took place at Njojo Farm in Kyenjojo district was attended by Ministers, Members of Parliament, leaders from District Local Government in Rwenzori region and farmers from across the country.
During the meeting that was organised by the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS), the Minister of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities and Member of Parliament for Mwenge County Central Hon. Tom Butime said if Ugandans embrace hass avocado and macadamia growing, the two crops will go a long way to improve their incomes and also to save Uganda’s economy.
Government of Uganda through NAADS is supporting the implementation of an intervention for promoting/scaling of emerging high value strategic commodities notably, hass avocado and macadamia under the nucleus farmer partnership strategy.
The Executive Director NAADS Dr. Samuel Mugasi informed participants in the meeting that NAADS started implementation of the intervention in season B 2022 with the distribution of 103,362 hass avocado seedlings and 29,234 macadamia seedlings in 42 implementing districts under a co-funding arrangement. In this arrangement, Government through NAADS pays for 70% of the cost of the seedling while the remaining 30% is paid by the farmer.
“The co-funding approach is not new in implementation of government programmes. In our previous interventions we were giving planting materials free of charge to farmers, however, most farmer never valued these materials and left them to go to waste. We have learnt from this past experience and in order to have a sustainable intervention, farmer need to own the programme by contributing a percentage on the cost of the seedlings”, explained Dr. Mugasi
Maj. Gen. Robert Rusoke, who is one of the nucleus farmers working with NAADS supports the confounding approach saying the government should maintain co-funding because Macadamia and Hass Avocado are high value crops therefore giving free seedlings some farmers would be a disservice as some would be reluctant to plant them.
Rusoke adds that the money a farmer invests in the two crops is worth it because the two crops have a ready market that starts with Ugandans. He advised farmers to embrace the growing of Hass avocado, saying he sold 20 tons in the previous season to the Kenyan market.
The State Minister for Agriculture Hon. Fred Bwino Kyakulaga, said hass avocado and macadamia have the potential to increase the revenue of Ugandans on both the local and international market. He urged famers to embrace the two crop varieties because they are highly marketable and profitable compared to other crops.
Member of Parliament and member of the Budget Committee Mr. Wamakuyu Ignatius said parliament is committed to supporting the growing of the two high value crops adding that he was going to table a proposal to increase taxes on imported edible oils in order to promote the local production of vegetable oils.
Good idea about Hass avocado but we lack support and yet we have the skills some of us, (a diploma in Agroforestry)
Hi Ronald,
Why not get in touch to exchange notes on what you plan to do with your Diploma in Agroforestry.
How do I access the seedlings for Hass avocado? Where do I get technical support from? Is there a minimum acreage that would attract Government support?
Am planning to set up a 20000 Hass ovaccado nursery and i need assistance. am very ready to contribute the 30%. and later give those seedlings to farmers under Katerera Area Cooperative enterprise ltd.
Calculations according to MAAIF greening uganda, @ plant is able to give 500kg and @ kg is 3300 this means that by supplying 20000 seedlings to katerera ACE farmers with 20000 seedlings asume that 75% gets to maturity. = 15000* 500 = 7,500,000 this translates to 24,750,000,000 per anum to Katerera Area Cooperative farmers.