By Johnson Kanyesige
Farmers in Hoima district have asked the department of meteorology to decentralize its services and keep near the local communities in order to ensure timely information is obtained, required for their farming purposes.
The farmers made the remarks on Tuesday at the closure of a two-day training bean farmers and other stakeholders on the enhanced climate resilience in Africa, a project which supports bean farmers in Hoima district.
Robinah Aliganyira a farmer and a trainer of farmers in Bujumbura East, Hoima West division says the weatherman should regularly update the community on state of rains they expect in the area at least on weekly basis such that farmers can make right decisions regarding their farming.
John Byaruhanga, an agronomist with MIKA Albertine seeds calls on weather experts to utilize all platforms to keep feeding the local communities regarding any information about the forecasts expected in their areas.
He says the department should explore the use of WhatsApp, SMS messages, use of radios among other platforms to help farmers keep updated with the required information.
Hon Grace Birungi, a lead farmer from Kisabgwa Kasunga in Kyabigambire Sub County decried the limited manpower for the weather guides to spread the information to the local people in which she asks the department to look into increasing on the number of community observers and guides regarding weather information.
She called for decentralization of the department services by opening up safelight offices in Hoima in order to give locally based updates that effective match areas of operation.
Gordon Guggwo from the Department of Meteorology under the Ministry of Water and Environment says the March to May forecast shows that, Hoima will experience near normal to above normal rains which means, more rains are expected in the district in the coming months something that is good to the farmers in the district.
He called on the public to access all the information regarding forecasts through online website which is www.meteo.mwe.org.ug.
Vincent Barongo an Extension Worker working with Hoima district local government says they are empowering all agricultural officers with timely weather information so that they can empower the locals with the weather information.
He encourages the local communities to seek all information regarding the weather forecasts for example via radios and digital platforms adding that the weather information should be part of a farmer in this generation if he is to make meaningful agricultural projects.
