Oyam | With cassava roots rotting in the gardens, some cassava growers in Oyam district have begun uprooting immature cassava tubers for sale.
Their intention is to make some money out of their sweats.
Cassava mosaic disease (CMD) has been affecting these farmers for several years, causing cassava growers across Lango sub-region to suffer losses.
Robert Alele of Apala village, Acaba sub-county, says he planted one acre of cassava this year.
“It is completely rotten, and I am forced to harvest and sell the remaining good ones to make some money.”
Alele tells tndNews that he cannot wait for his cassava to mature.
In Oyam district, a bag of cassava is currently purchased from farmers for shs50,000, while a bundle of seven is sold in the market for shs2,000.
Cassava Mosaic Disease is a serious threat to cassava’s survival in Uganda. The country has had two notable CMD epidemics since the introduction of cassava in the 1850s, causing acute losses.
According to National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS), cassava is the second major staple food in Uganda.
Cassava can be used for industrial purposes such as in the production of biofuel, ethanol; paperboard, glue, among others.
Different varieties exist. Nase14 takes 12-14 months to mature, and NAADS said it’s resistant to drought and Cassava Brown Streak Disease.
By Ojara Daniel