By Sharon Basilika | Buikwe
Buikwe District Woman MP and State Minister in the Office of the Vice President, Diana Mutasingwa, has expressed concern over increasing cases of land grabbing in the district, accusing some land dealers, individuals posing as lawyers and local leaders of allegedly working together to dispossess residents of their land.
Mutasingwa said some fraudsters target idle land and make false ownership claims, resulting in disputes that put genuine landowners at risk of losing their property.
She made the remarks during a meeting with farmers in Buikwe District, where seven million cocoa seeds were distributed to encourage cocoa growing and improve household incomes.
The minister urged residents to put their land to productive use by taking advantage of government agricultural programmes instead of relying on financial handouts from politicians.
She also warned local council chairpersons against participating in fraudulent land transactions, saying those found aiding land grabbers would be held accountable.
Ssi-Bukunja Subcounty Chairperson Peter Nkungu said cases of land grabbing were becoming a serious concern in Ssi and called for government intervention to protect residents.
Meanwhile, Babarah Komushago, head of cocoa research at the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, warned farmers against excessive and improper spraying of cocoa trees, which she said was contributing to crop losses.
Komushago advised farmers to follow recommended farming practices, including the proper application of fertilisers, to improve cocoa production.
Farmers welcomed the distribution of cocoa seeds but raised concerns about cocoa prices and the lack of reliable markets.
They said poor prices had discouraged some farmers from continuing with cocoa growing, while others had abandoned the crop altogether.
The farmers appealed to the government to address pricing concerns and improve market access to make cocoa farming more profitable.
