WHY YOUTH SHOULD CONCETRATE ON AGRICULTURE AS AWAY OF CREATING AN EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

Most of the youth look at agricultural as one of the dirtiest Jobs they can do,yet its one of the jobs that can be easily done.This is because its done on natural resource which is God given -Land,some agricultural projects require little land like mushroom production and even require very litle capital that is very affordable.

In Uganda the greates problem the goverment is facing is youth unemployment,but then as Youth what labour and effort are we putting in to solve this problem our self.The only solution is to utilise and use the only available resource around and near us which is agriculture.
On cannot also be in agriculture indirectly which is markerting.Agricultural products are one of the fast moving products in the country,ther fore bring quick income.

Without agriculture then we wouldnt be exisiting and theres alot we should learn from agricultureas youth ,we are still growing and its our opportunity to advantage of agriculture as venture that will give us what we want,than always on the street and spending day and nights on water.

WHY FARMERS HAVE ALWAYS OBTAINED LOW INCOME FROM AGRICULTURE

Farmers invest alot in agriculture especially when it comes to production but obtain the least income after markerting,one can ask him or her self why?There are many reasons that lead to this;

1. Poor post harvest handling techniques.Farmers have little or unlimited knowldege on how to handle their produce when in the garden and even after harvesting.Farmers lack good storage facilities and the whole produce end up being destroyed by pests and diseases.,some harvest fruits using sticks and thus destroy majority of them,when transporting the produce especially fresh produce,they sit on them and by the time farmers reach in the markert 30%is destroyed.


2. Lack of collective marketing strateggy;In our country Uganda farmers sell their agricultural produce individually and middle men tend to take advantage of this and offer the lowest price even not reaching aquarter of what afarmer invested.If farmers would collect their produc together ,look or hire transport and take to the markert by selecting reperesentatives or even decide on which day to sell their produce as farmers they wouldnt be facing the problem of middle men.


3. Majority of farmers do not want to take up organic agriculture but want to continue using chemicals even where its not neccessary.use of chemicals increases production costs yet organic products are more costly than non-organic products.high use of chemicals makes the farmer not make high profits,this is because alot of inestement has been put to chemicals.


4. Poor management practices ; management practices like weeding ,pest and disease contorl ,primary and secondary cultivation ,drainage channels ,staking and others will lead to high yileds once amangement practice is missed and is neccessary then as afarmer you will not get what you desrved to get.

MUSHROOM PRODUCTION IN UGANDA.

Commercial introduction of mushroom started in 1989 following the government ,introduction of oyster mushrooms from Egypt to Kawanda Agricultural Research Institute (KARI).

Uganda currently produces mushrooms on amedium scale with statistics not available with the price of fresh mushrooms ranging from 4,000/= to 7,000/= per kg and dried mushrooms ranging from 50,000/= to 60,000/= per kilo.Ugandas mushroom production is very low to sastify both local and the international markert.

Mushrooms are unique and different from other crops in that they require avery small space ,therefore suitable for the landless farmers and urban farmers,not weather dependant ,this is because it is grown indoors and therefore can be produced throught the year,they are grown on avariety of agricultural and industrial wastes like coffeehusks,cotton hulls,rice husks,wheat husks,dried pasparum,dried banana leaves and many others.They are also an excellent source of vitamin B,nicotinic acid and pantothenic acid,therefore can be used to supplement human dietery requirements.

Since it involves alot of activities and purely done in doors ,it creates employment opportunities to the many especially women who are house maids and children.

In uganda mushroom production sector has some constrtaints that have hindered its development they include;

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  Lack of awareness and sensitisation by the responsible bodies and farmers on the importance and economic feasibility of mushrooms


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  Lack of markert for both fresh and dried mushrooms as most farmers grow alot mushrooms and fail to get where to sell them.


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  No simplified production manual to guide and help farmers interms of production techniques,problems related and their solution.

Therefore, theres still along way for mushroom production in Uganda to develop if at all responsible bodies fails to intervene and help.With the problems related to mushroom production outlined above,they have made Miss Manige Merab who is agraduate at makerere university with a Bsc in Horticulture carry out many research activities to help farmers dealing with mushroom production, such research include,
1. Evaluation of different baggings for mushroom production to replace polythene bags(this is because polythene bagssale were banned frm sale in uganda.
2. Value addition of mushroom into amuhrooms soup.This is done with support from Uganda Industrial Research Institute (UIRI) to produce the best soup.(this is mainly to help farmers add value to their mushroom for easy penetration and attainment of markert) mushroom soup and porridge already available on the makert.

Lastly Manige Merab has published a small bookletentitled "Mushroom Production Guide"volume one and volume 11 .for more information and in need of amushroom guide book and training contact;manigemerab@yahoo.com,Tel ,0783662876/0706566281

FARMING REQUIRES PRACICAL SKILLS

If you always think you can do something without practicing it then you are wrong.practicall skills will always help you achieve what you want and what you see other people doing.Here i was trying to see how manually one can irrigate the crops with a simple way,guess it if you are apractical person like me?

WHAT A ADAY

it wa s such a bussy and hectic day, iwas in the field in buwama and nkozi subcounty in mpigi district where we had a meeting with the farmers.after a heavy and tiresome day the only solution to relieve all the strees was to eat.for sure i enjoyed nyama with matooke and i believe it will take me long to forget this food.Look at it!!!

my self at work

thinking of what next at work place.

THREE D'S

Guess what the three D's could be and how helpfull they could be to your life.
The three D'S we have are, deccission,determination and destiny.For one to achieve what he or she wants, must make a deccision.any decission you make whether positive or negative , will determine your destiny.
As people having a chance and we still have the breath,let us utilise the little time God has given us and always make postive deccisions to give us positive destinations.
My dear friends always make use of the time you have and make wise deccisions not to always regret the decissions you have made.