Disease Resistant Cassava for Uganda
Operation Agri has enabled their partners in the Busia Sustainable Agriculture Project to buy a new type of disease resistant cassava, to distribute to farmers.
Families in South-East Uganda have been very concerned that the cassava mosaic disease is spreading to their area. First the leaves become distorted, then the roots. Future crops planted in the same area also get the disease, and it is very hard to eradicate. In this part of Uganda the people rely on cassava tubers as their main food crop - the staple diet - so this is of great concern.
The Baptist Union of Uganda appealed to Operation Agri for help. Pastor Hillary Wangala, one of the field officers for the Busia project, explained that the newly developed disease resistant strain of cassava would greatly help their farmers, but they didn’t have the money to buy it. So OA provided £3000 to buy a large batch of cuttings of this resistant cassava for the project to distribute.
Hillary writes "The farm project has now been distributing the cassava cuttings by lorry. We are very grateful for the new/resistant variety of cassava stems. Everyone is excited, having hope for food security in the area."
Constance and Paul, are delighted and ready to receive their share. Constance said "God remembered us, we were worried about our cassava but now we have a resistant variety to plant!"
"Ever since I heard of the coming cassava cuttings, I prepared my garden and have been waiting - thanks to Operation Agri," said Paul.
The cuttings are being given out to the Community Farmer Trainers in each area group of farmers. They will grow and reproduce cuttings to pass on to other farmers, so spreading the use of this new variety of cassava.
