By; Ben Musanje
Makerere University under the College of Natural Resource (CoNAS) has embarked on increasing banana productivity in East Africa specifically in Uganda and Tanzania.
Addressing the Media at Makerere University main campus, the CoNAS Principal Prof. Joseph Mugisa said the project will take four years with a total funding of USD 5.7m granted by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation from America
It is estimated that over 100 million people in East and Central Africa of which 30 million persons in Uganda depend on banana for food and income a population that needs support to yield reasonably from the crop.
Prof. Mugisa says they are to empower smallholder banana farmers in Uganda and Tanzania and the entire Region with skills to improve and on the productivity of bananas.
Meanwhile MAK CoNAS Principal Investigator Dr. Arthur Tugume emphasizes that the project targets to have banana production increased from 30% to 60% with between 60-70 tones of production.
He adds that Mukono, Masaka and Kiboga which used to be the herb of banana production were devastated by banana wilt shifting the crop to district of Mbarara, Bushenyi and Rukungiri but still they cannot produce what is enough for the big market.
Next:
Previous:
