Lira District, OWC and Itracom partner to boost farm yields with new techniques

27 April 2026, 2:11 pm

By Felix Omara

Lira District, OWC and Itracom partner to boost farm yields with new techniquesThe partnership will majorly advocate for the use of fertilizer dubbed Itracom fertilizers, aimed at lowering fertilizer costs and reducing imports, plans to produce 1,000 metric tonnes annually and is expected to revolutionize agricultural productivity with a factory already established in Mpigi District.

The project that will run for 18 months also aims to boost fertilizer usage from 2.5 kg per hectare to 25kg per hectare, reducing Uganda’s reliance on imported fertilizers, saving approximately $300 million annually in the country.

To Lira District, this is a game changer in the agricultural sector in the district as soil fertility lost in the district stands at 40% currently.Patrick Alip, Senior Agricultural Officer at the district, says farmers are no longer benefiting from their farm business since the soil has lost its viability, causing low yield.He said with now Itracom fertilizers on board, farmers will be engaged to make the proper use of the product to boost soil quality hence increasing productivity.

Richard Cox Mark Okello, Lira District LCV Chairperson, expressed the readiness of the district to start engaging farmers in adopting good farming practices, saying this will start by profiling the soil quality parish by parish for better farming practice.

Okello said with the availability of extension workers at the sub-county, acquiring knowledge on better farming practices like the use of fertilizer should not be a challenge to any farmer. “Now that we have Itracom, our farmers should be relieved completely from bad farming practices,” Okello said.

Addressing the district officials, farmers, religious and cultural leaders and agro-dealers at the district production office on 23rd April 2026, the Country Director Itracom Fertilizers Jeanluc Bigirimana, said besides advocating for the utilization of organic mineral and organic fertilizer, farmers will acquire much knowledge on good agronomy practices, good and ready market.He urged both cultural and religious leaders to champion awareness creation and mobilization for adoption of improved farming practices to improve, change the negative mindset of people on fertilizer usage.

He said the company is ready to meet demand and sustainability challenges since the material will be locally available to have this fertilizer ready.Under this project, demonstration farms will be established according to the crops grown per region, soil testing, capacity building of farmers and extension workers among other key aspects of the project.