BY OBED KULE KITHENDE
The Bukonzo County West Member of Parliament -elect, Dr. Chrispus Kiyonga, has urged the cocoa farmers in Kasese District to continue growing the cash crop but separately from the food crops in order to maintain soil fertility.
Dr. Kiyonga says while cocoa has a ready market, it can deplete soil nutrients hence affecting yields of other crops.
He sounded the advice over the weekend while addressing members of Karambi SACCO during their Annual General Meeting held at Nyabugando Baptist Vocational Secondary School located in Mpondwe– Lhubiriha Town Council.
Dr. Kiyonga advised the farmers to always have a specific area for cocoa cultivation so that they avoid mixing it with other crops in an attempt to ensure sustainable farming practices and preserve the soil from losing its facility.
He used the same platform to advise the family heads to embrace kitchen gardening, saying the act would help to address the challenge of lack of nutrition because of planting vegetables among crops in those gardens.
According to him, a home that has a kitchen garden benefit in many ways including feeding on a balanced diet and saving money that would be spent on buying vegetables.
ENDS