Health is solely part and parcel of human beings and other living things. This is what RIC-NET under the program health plants for a health future is looking at. Plant Doctors have been trained under the Global Plant Clinic program. Unlike before, when it took ages for agricultural extension worker to reach to the farmers. But with the emergency of plant clinic in Bundibugyo, It now takes a minute for the farmer to get advisory service from the plant doctor based in the communities.
Affected plants have reduced major crop production especially maize, banana, cassava, cocoa and beans. In most part of Bundibugyo district the Banana Bacterial Wilt, maize weevil, cassava mosaic, insects and mites that enter the pod have continuously frustrated the farmers to reap from their labour. Cocoa production in Bundibugyo is also likely to reduce because of the diseases that affect the pods and the entire plant in the field.
Plant doctors are serving voluntarily in the different places of the community especially Bubandi and Bundibugyo Town Council; he(s) is farmer trained on different crop, pest and disease control practices. They visit farmers in the garden and in most cases farmers come with crop samples for diagnosis. In both places the open plant clinic is on Monday.
According to Musoke Wilson a plant Doctor at Semliki plant clinic, he said there is “a big positive change in the community”. Farmers are becoming interested in bringing samples of sick crops to the doctors. This is due to the fact that, the service provided is free and plant Doctors are community based and easily accessed. In addition, high ability of farmers’ to mobilize themselves to utilize plant clinics or source the information has increased information sharing. The willingness of the plant Doctor to handle farmers’ problems at that particular moment has brought hope to the farmers to get rid of the pests and diseases to the crops.
No comments:
Post a Comment