Farmers in Bwera and Kisinga have
expressed their happiness and gratitude towards the work done by the Plant
Doctors towards improving yields and Pest and disease control. This was
revealed during the evaluation exercise of the performance of Plant clinics in Kasese
District. The evaluation was held in four different places that is Kisinga,
Kiburara, Bwera and Kasese from 21st to 24th October 2013
by staff of Makerere University in conjunction with MAAIF.
The content of the research
finding covered the performance of the Plant health system in Kasese in areas of;
a).Performance of the Plant clinics, b).Performance of the Plant Doctors, c). Relationships
between Plants clinics and plant pest and disease control, d). Role of other
extension service providers towards improving plant health system, e). Government
interventions in plant clinics and plant health systems, f). Role of individual
farms in farming and g). The Role of CSO’s in supporting farming and farmers in
the District.
In Kasese District, Plant Clinics
are run and operated by Rwenzori information centers Network [RIC-NET] as part
of their livelihood programs improving individual livelihood at household level.
This is under the program “health plants for health people” that cover the
whole of Rwenzori region.RIC-NET has trained 10 plant Doctors who are operating
7 plant Clinics in the region.
According to Baluku John a
farmers from Karambi who for the past two years has been visiting the plant
clinics and a farmer of bananas, he mentioned that “Plant doctors have been visiting my garden from time to time and helped
me in controlling BBW and Cassava mosaic… My yields have improves this year”.
Another farmer Biira Agnes from Kyempara a farmers of Sunflowers mentioned that
“Plant Doctors are more relevant that other extension staff at the sub county
because they explain to the farmers properly and keep on monitoring the
recommendation prescribed. This has helped me a lot in pests and disease
control”. Miss Biira Justine of Rwenguhya-Kisinga a farmers of maize “Government
should support Plants clinics because of their direct involvement with the
farmers at household level”. While Miss Nzyabake Grace from Kuburara a farmers
of vegetables mentioned that “I have been visited several times by the plant
Doctors and I have been putting the advice given into practice. You can even
see from the looks of my Egg Plants and Tomatoes”.
 |
| Banana Plantation owned by John |
 |
| diseased banana stem |
Table
show number of respondents in the evaluation exercise
Category
|
Male
|
Female
|
Total
|
Comments from the Farmers
|
Local farmers
|
21
|
39
|
60
|
These are both commercial and subsistence farmers
|
Political leaders
|
4
|
3
|
7
|
At sub County and village level
|
Members of CSO’s
|
6
|
3
|
9
|
From CSO’s working with farmers
|
Opinion leaders at village level
|
2
|
2
|
4
|
At village level
|
Plant Doctors
|
5
|
5
|
10
|
Running the 7 Plant Clinics under RICNET
|
CDO
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
At sub county level
|
Community based facilitators
|
2
|
3
|
5
|
At Sub county level
|
NAADS staff.
|
2
|
4
|
6
|
At Sub county level
|
Totals
|
43
|
61
|
104
|
NB: We choice of using staff at
village and Sub county level was intended to get information from people
directly working with farmers.
 |
| farmers sharing views on the role of Plant Clinics |
During the evaluation exercise
farmers made a call to the Central Government to support individuals and organizations
that are helping them in information on farming. The farmers proposed that
Government should support directly the plant Clinics like the way they support
other programs like NAADS.
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