Daily Monitor
Saturday April 03 2021
Summary
The planting should follow proper agronomic practices such as spacing, line planting, seed rate, initial fertiliser application, as will be advised by the field extension officers.
There are 11 agro-ecological zones in the country which determine what can be planted.
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April is the de facto launch of each year’s planting season, so the new cycle begins now.
By this time, most of the farmers should be through with second ploughing and it is advisable to start planting after one week.
According to recent data by the Uganda National Meteorological Authority (UNMA), the first rainfall season, which will end in May in most parts of the country, is anticipated to be good enough for crop production.
Daily Monitor
Saturday February 27 2021
Summary
Normally the first season planting is in March and harvesting is in July-August, while the second season is from August to January.
Farmers should avoid late planting since it leads to increased incidences of pests and disease attacks hence reduced yields.
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As the planting season approaches, rain-fed crop agriculture has just gotten a major boost. Agronomists argue that timely planting is important for plant health. But that is not enough.
According to James Mugerwa, an extension worker in Buvuma District, in order to boost yields, farmers must apply fertilisers even on improved seed varieties. A fertilised maize farm with improved seeds, he says, can generate up to 4.3 tonnes compared to 2.4 tonnes in unfertilised crops. But what crops can you grow this season for a profit?