Kampala — UPLAND rice farmers in Mukono have received sh27m to help them boost productivity. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints donated the money to enable the farmers to buy inputs.

Elder Bean, the director of the church, said the productivity of upland rice in the area had been hindered by lack of capital and seeds.

Bean said although Mukono Farmer's Association trained 2,200 farmers in better rice farming practices, only 80 had sustained the business due to lack of initial capital.

Bean also recently gave the farmers over 1,500 kg of upland rice, 50 wheelbarrows, 20 spraying machines, 1,000 litres of pesticide and 3,000 kg of fertilisers.

Sylvester Nganda, who is involved in the project, said 50 farmers would share the equipment in a bid to promote up-land rice growing in the area.

Mukono resident district commissioner Maj. David Matovu, who launched the second phase of upland rice growing, thanked Bean for helping the Government to fight poverty. In 2007, Bean donated sh20m to support a similar project which benefited 60 farmers.