Farmers urged to plant fast maturing crops in the second season

The ministry of Agriculture has advised farmers to plant early maturing crops as rains in the second planting season will not last long.

According to the minister of Agriculture Vincent Bamulangaki Ssempijja, farmers who have not yet planted should use the coming month (October) and for those who have already planted should harvest more water for irrigation and for their animals.

"The purpose of this message therefore is to remind and encourage our farmers to intensify agricultural activities in this second season of the year 2020,"said Ssempijja.

Ssempijja said according to the climate outlook forum that sat on 26th August 2020, the weather for October to December 2020 is predicted to be drier than normal in the East African region.

"This means that the second season is likely to be short. Temperatures are also expected to be high with low rain fall that may end early, "he said.

He noted the preparations of gardens should have begun earlier before the planting season adding that the ongoing rains mark the onset of the second season rains which is expected to be short.

"You are advised to plant fast maturing and drought tolerant crop varieties such as vegetables, maize, (beans, ground nuts, soya beans among others,"he said.

He said farmers should have started planting these crops at the onset of rains in August.

For those farmers that did not plant at the onset of August rains, Ssempijja advised them to finalise with land preparation and acquire the right inputs from the recommended stockists and plant immediately.

He also urged those who planted early to start weeding their crops.

"Coffee farmers who are under the Agricultural Cluster Development Project (ACDP) e-voucher purchase system should quickly pay their contribution to facilitate timely access of their required agricultural inputs,"he said.