Farmers in the Ankole sub-region have urged the government to subsidise fertilisers and agricultural equipment, warning that high input costs and prolonged dry spells are making it harder to increase food production and earn profits from farming.

Dr Innocent Kasisi Arinaitwe, a senior farmer and director of Ibo Mixed Farm Limited in Rwanyamahembe, Kashari, Mbarara District, said affordable agricultural inputs would enable farmers to improve yields, boost household incomes and produce enough food for consumption and sale.

He said that although farmers had made efforts to engage in agriculture, the high cost of fertilisers and farming equipment, coupled with prolonged sunshine, continued to undermine their productivity.

Dr Kasisi urged farmers to work together, share experiences and visit one another’s farms and gardens to acquire practical knowledge and skills that could improve the quality and quantity of their produce.

On banana production, he advised farmers to select quality seedlings, practise proper mulching, weed their gardens on time and apply fertilisers appropriately to promote healthy plant growth and increase yields.

For coffee farmers, Dr Kasisi recommended adopting improved varieties developed by the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO) and the National Coffee Research Institute (NaCORI).

He cited KR10 and KR9, clonal Robusta coffee varieties, among the options available to farmers seeking to improve production. He emphasised the importance of using improved planting materials to help address production challenges, including coffee diseases, and improve yields.

Meanwhile, Ibo Mixed Farm Limited has organised a five-day training programme targeting agro-input dealers and individuals interested in establishing agrochemical businesses.

The training is scheduled to run from November 2 to 6 at Ibo Mixed Farm Limited in Mbarara District.

The programme is expected to equip participants with practical knowledge and skills in agro-input handling and the operation of agrochemical businesses.