Museveni Wants Parliament to Enact Biotechnology Bill

By Dan Wandera

Luweero — President Museveni has repeated his efforts to boost food security and household income with a promise to ensure that the Biotechnology and Bio-safety bills are passed by Parliament to boost modern farming practices.

President Museveni, who on Monday toured a demonstration farm at Kawumu State Lodge in Luweero District as part of his efforts to boost modern farming practices in the former war zone which brought the NRM government into power said the NRM party Caucus would soon sit to ensure that the Biotechnology Bill is passed to help improve farming practices backed by modern research and technology.

"The Biotechnology Bill will help us resolve some of the problems we have in the agriculture sector. The NRM caucus will soon convene to finalise on this matter. We should not be held back on this matter," Mr Museveni told journalists on Monday.

Earlier in the day, President Museveni toured several demonstrations on the farm plots at the State Lodge where modern farming practices have been developed through establishment of coffee, banana, pineapple and fish ponds.

HE.President Y. K.Museveni at  the Banana  demostration farm  

Mr Museveni said his last visit in Makulubita Sub-county where he encouraged residents to use water bottles for irrigation was misinterpreted by many people yet he had a point for the rural poor who cannot afford the bigger and sophisticated irrigation methods.

HE.President Y. K.Museveni at  the mushroom farm

"We have been using water bottles to irrigate the coffee, banana, passion fruits among other crops on this demonstration farm. You are witnesses to what has happened. You should be able to help me preach this gospel of improved farming practices, the President told journalists on Monday.

At Kawumu demonstration farm, President Museveni has 400 banana plants, 450 coffee trees and a demonstration garden for pineapples. The farm also has four fish ponds.

The demonstration plots are supposed to help the people in the area learn better farming practices. The demonstration plots were established in November 2016 when Mr Museveni camped in Makulubita Sub-county to monitor Operation Wealth Creation activities.