Uganda: Tobacco Growing Harmful - Bukenya

Source from:  The Monitor (Kampala) 22 May 2007 05/24/2007

TOBACCO growing should be abandoned in favour of other cash crops, Vice President Gilbert Bukenya has told the people of West Nile. He said tobacco growing had made the people poorer since the only good houses in the villages were tobacco curing barns. Prof. Bukenya was speaking in Koboko over the weekend on his week-long mobilisation tour of the seven districts of the region. Last year, the West Nile districts of Arua, Koboko, Yumbe and Nyadri produced about 10m kilogrammes of flu-cured Virginia tobacco from which the farmers earned nearly Shs18 billion but the benefits of the money cannot be seen in terms of physical development. Prof. Bukenya said fish and dairy farming as well as chicken rearing for egg business and honey production are the biggest sure means of wealth accumulation because the products have a ready market. "I don't want you people to do something that makes you work at a loss," he said while addressing residents of Aringili village in Koboko district. Prof. Bukenya who addressed residents who braved a heavy downpour praised the Koboko people for electing NRM supporters as MPs and LC officials. He cited State Minister in his office James Baba and Margaret Baba Diri as good ambassadors of the Movement government and development. He, however, cut short the Koboko tour due to heavy rains and promised to return on June 5 to continue with the prosperity for all campaign. The VP also promised solar panels to the 2486-member Federation of Communities Infected with and Affected by HIV/Aids in Koboko. The group runs commercial goat rearing and poultry projects. The VP's Press Secretary Linda Nabusayi later explained that Prof. Bukenya recognises tobacco as a good cash crop but discourages it because the process of production and curing is laborious and destructive to the environment. "The Vice President thinks tobacco growing does not empower the farmers for economic development That's why he is not promoting it under the Bonna Baggagawale scheme," she said. Enditem