Parliament has raised concerns over production challenges at National Enterprise Corporation (NEC) Agro Farm in Kyankwanzi, a government-owned farm that supplies maize to the Uganda Peoples' Defence Forces.
The concerns emerged during an inspection of the farm by the Parliamentary Committee on Defence and Internal Affairs as part of its countrywide assessment of Ministry of Defence and Veterans Affairs and UPDF establishments.
Farm manager Eng. Simon Baalwa Terwane told the committee that the farm is struggling with prolonged drought, inadequate planting and harvesting machinery, flooding and destruction of crops by animals.
He said floods from River Mayanja regularly submerge about 640 acres of the farm for almost four months, affecting production.
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"The challenges we face are long droughts, lack of standard machines for planting and harvesting, floods from River Mayanja and animals that destroy the maize crops," Terwane said.
The farm, established more than two years ago as one of the production arms of NEC Enterprises, has more than 3,000 acres under maize cultivation across more than 18 blocks.
NEC Agro Farm agronomist Didas Agaba said the farm is the sole provider of maize meal to the UPDF and also supplies other beneficiaries following presidential guidance.
He said each acre requires between 10 and 12 kilogrammes of seed, while the maize takes about three and a half months to mature and dry before harvesting.
Agaba said the farm uses combine harvesters for large-scale harvesting to minimise contamination and the risk of aflatoxins.
The farm stretches from Lake Katonga to River Mayanja.
Maj Gen Joseph Musoke Semwanga, who led the five-member parliamentary team, urged NEC Agro Farm to adopt modern irrigation technologies to reduce dependence on rainfall.
He cited the Netherlands as a model for agricultural production and urged NEC to explore solar-powered irrigation to maintain production during prolonged dry periods.
"NEC should never depend on nature for irrigation. I know there are a lot of government subsidies on solar power, why don't we take advantage of them?" Semwanga said.
He also urged NEC farms to expand their ambitions beyond supplying the military by developing regional food production and exploring opportunities to export agricultural products to other East African countries.
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Semwanga said NEC should develop the farm into a centre of excellence in agricultural production and food security.
The committee members said Parliament would consider the farm's needs through its oversight and budgetary functions after completing the assessment.
The inspection forms part of the committee's wider countrywide field tour of Ministry of Defence and Veterans Affairs and UPDF establishments.
