Farmers in the Bunyoro sub-region have asked Parliament to expedite the Contract Farming Bill and stop their exploitation.
Dr Abed Bwanika, the shadow Minister for Agriculture was granted leave of parliament to present the Bill which seeks to regulate contract and block farming in Uganda. The bill also seeks to create a legal framework for the execution of transactions relating to the sale of future agricultural produce at mutually agreed prices and the supply of farm services between a farmer and a third party.
The object of the Bill states that despite the importance of Agriculture to the economic development of Uganda and its potential to transform the economy, the sector faces a number of challenges including land fragmentation, lack of affordable credit, limited access to farm input, limitation on market access, underdeveloped value chain, pests and diseases, poor soil management and limited extension services.
Opposition legislators are now consulting farmers and leaders on the same. The MPs are optimistic that with the Bill in place, all the listed challenges will be no more and that farmers will be protected from exploitation by middlemen.
It further states that whereas contract and blocking farming has been embraced by farmers, there is currently no legal regime that governs such arrangements in order to protect the interest of the farmer and those of the sponsor.
The Bill further contends that the current legal regime only applies to the growing and marketing of Tobacco, under the Tobacco Control and Marketing Act and the growing and marketing of sugarcane under the sugar Act. It adds that the exclusion of other agricultural produce from legal regulations hinders their commercialization.
Farmers in the Bunyoro sub-region are also optimistic that the law will save and protect them from the burden of price fluctuation and help farmers to benefit from Agriculture.
Micheal Adubango, the Chairperson of Masindi District Farmers’ Association-MADFA says the Bill is long overdue given the exploitation that farmers are enduring from middlemen. He asked MPs to jealously support the Bill for the benefit of the farmers.
Phineas Kyotasobora, the Vice Chairperson of Masindi sugarcane outgrowers Association Limited says the Bill will give farmers an opportunity to reduce the risks in their trade and negotiate the best prices for their products with buyers.
Beatrice Karungi, a farmer in Kikuube says the Bill will equally allow buyers to connect directly with farmers, negotiate the best price and efficiently plan for the market for their agricultural produce.
Sabiti Mbabazi, another farmer says they have always cried for protection from the government in vain. He is optimistic that when passed, farmers are assured of the market once the product is ready and that the farmer and the buyer will also have security since they are assured of purchase and supply.
Mathias Mpuuga, the Leader of the Opposition in parliament who led a delegation of shadow ministers to Bunyoro applauded farmers for supporting the Bill saying his team will come up with a comprehensive report that will be presented before parliament for debate.
He adds that Contract and block farming will help to improve the environment under which the farmers operate, allow farmers to access markets easily and reduce their exploitation.
-URN
