Farmers Try to Beat a Virulent Disease

Good morning, sir. My name is Vumiria Collins and I work with Radio West in Mbarara, Uganda. I am here at the office of the district Agricultural Officer of Mbarara district to get information about practices that farmers are being encouraged to use in the wake of the deadly banana wilt disease that has been reported in 37 districts across Uganda. First, I want to be sure of your name and title, sir.

Thank you very much. My name is Nathan Byaruhanga. I am an Agricultural Officer in charge of Mbarara District.

Banana bacterial wilt disease has really spread far and wide. It has so far affected plantations in 37 out of the 81 districts in the country.

Yes! We are engaged in education programs for local farmers.

What are some of the issues that you tell farmers about on your visits?

During the education sessions, we tell them that it is important that they burn the male buds off the banana fruits, in order to avoid the spread of the bacteria from infected bananas to non-infected bananas. Farmers should cut off the buds as soon as they appear, even when the banana fruit is not yet affected by the bacterial disease. We also tell them that, whenever they recognize an infected plant, they should uproot it totally and bury it as quickly as possible to avoid the spread of the disease. Infected stems should be buried in pits not less than a foot deep. If possible, this should be outside of the banana plantation, or at least in a different field, to avoid re-occurrence of the disease. By-laws have been introduced at the village level to ensure that these guidelines are followed by farmers.

Nathan, can the disease be transferred as well through tools such as hoes?

This is true. We recently embarked on a campaign to ensure that, in areas where this disease has been identified, every farmer buys a disinfectant such as Jik, so that they can soak the tools after use.

But what can farmers do when they cannot afford to buy a disinfectant on a weekly basis, yet they go to their plantations almost every day?

At least they can afford firewood. Therefore we advise them to heat the tools until they are red-hot before they are re-used.

It sounds like this disease will be history in the next few months with the kind of campaign you have embarked on!

No way! This disease keeps re-occurring. Even in areas that we have recently visited to educate farmers, and where we have uprooted plants ourselves, the disease is already back.

So what is the way forward?

We are not resting. We are intensifying the education of the farmers. We have also set up committees, right from the village level up to the district level, to ensure that the education reaches everyone, including all leaders – church, political or traditional.

VUMIRIA COLLINS: Are farmers adopting the practices you are teaching?

Yes, but not as widely as we expected. They are spreading slowly.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.