Cassava brown streak disease attacks Bukedea farmers
About 8,000 gardens are affected, authorities said.
Bukedea: Cassava farmers in Bukedea district are counting losses as cassava brown streak disease attacks most of the gardens.
The disease was confirmed in the three subcounties of Kabarwa, Malera, and Bukedea town council.
About 8,000 gardens are affected, authorities said.
Mr. Cyprian Paul Opolot, the Bukedea district senior agricultural officer, told this publication that the disease covers the entire district and is being spread by flies.
“Bukedea district has a total of 40,000 gardens of cassava, and about 8,000 gardens are affected, contributing to a 20% rate,” said Mr. Opolot.
He remarked that the speedy spread of the disease is caused by the farmers themselves.
“Our farmers also have a mentality of sourcing sick cassava cuttings from one garden to another,” Opolot added.
Mr. Ben Angura, the Kabarwa subcounty chairperson, said on Thursday September 12, 2024, the outbreak of the cassava disease has made farmers in his subcounty boycott cassava growing.
He said this has indicated the food insecurity threats since most of the farmers depend on cassava as their staple food stuff.
“I am scared of food security in the subcounty since most of the farmers have lost interest in growing cassava,” said Mr. Angura.
However, cassava being Teso stable food stuff, its prices have also dropped.
Mr. Jude Ongota, the Bukedea district principal agricultural officer, says the district has purchased a new variety of cassava cuttings in order to support farmers with good-quality seeds.
“We discovered that the outbreak of the disease is due to a lack of access to good-quality seeds, so buying new cassava cutting varieties will help,” said Mr. Ongota.
Ongota further added that the district has established two demo gardens of new cassava cuttings in each subcounty.
“Besides purchasing new Narocast one cassava cutting, we have also engaged farmers in community meetings to sensitize them on prevention of the disease,” Ogota added.
Moses Omutonj, one of the cassava-growing farmers in Okunguro parents ward in Bukedea town council, said the disease has attacked cassava in the wrong season.
“I have more than six gardens of cassava ready, but the disease has attacked; there is no space for drying in this second rain, and even the price is one shilling only,” said Omutoj.
Mr. Omutoj appealed to the government to source other alternatives to help farmers boost the market for cassava.
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