More
than 20 farmers in Kalagala village in Kasaali Town council are stranded after
bad-hearted people raided their food plantations and gardens on Wednesday night
and sprayed their crops with toxic chemicals.
As
a result of the chemicals, most of the crops including beans, maize, Irish and
sweet potatoes, coffee and others covering over nine acres are withered and others
dried them up.
Also
young coffee and eucalyptus trees plus maize were uprooted and taken.
Affected
farmers say they had received the coffee, beans and maize seedlings under the
wealth creation programme expecting better yields due to the prevailing rainfall.
Esezza Nalubowa had grown maize and beans on one acre but they are withering and drying up fast since they were sprayed. She said that she had expected to harvest over 400kgs of beans and maize.
“I
had planned to sell the beans to clear my children’s school fees and also
support my family during the Christmas season. Now I am stuck without an
alternative,” he said.
According
to Nalubowa, food scarcity in the village and sub-county is inevitable as a
result of the incident.
Richard
Katumba, another affected farmer, lost one acre of Irish potatoes. He said that
he expected to yield seven sacks of Irish potatoes due to the demand.
He
appealed to the district security committee to intervene the matter for
redress.
“We
wonder why someone would target our gardens. They were selective in their
mission because gardens in the neighbouring communities were not tampered with,”
he said.
Charles
Baguma, an elder and one of the affected farmers, said his coffee and
eucalyptus trees were uprooted and taken in addition to his sweet potato garden
which was also sprayed.
He
explained that potatoes cannot grow up without the leaves.
“Remember, Kalagala is one of the food baskets of Kasaali town council. Therefore attacking food plantations is a huge setback. Food insecurity and poverty will be the order of the ay especially during the Christmas season,” he added.
Charles
Kalema lost two acres of eucalyptus and beans. He said the projects were to
support his family. He said that his plantation and garden were sprayed in his
absence.
“I
was away for three days. Therefore they sprayed my garden in my absence,” he
said.
However, The eyewitness has established that there has been a long-standing dispute between
the farmers and Buyamba parish under (Masaka Diocese) over more than 30 acres on
which the affected farmers cultivate. The land is being occupied by 25
families.
The
residents (occupants) won a case against the Diocese which was claiming
ownership of the disputed land.
“Although
we have no proof in the meantime as to who sprayed our crops with the toxic
chemicals, we still suspect our immediate rival (diocese) priests.
Buyamba
Parish official, who preferred anonymity, said that the residents/farmers
should be careful with their allegations over what happened to their crops.
“How do we know it is their fellow resident?” he asked.
In
the meantime, police are making inquiries to establish the perpetrators.