LIRA, Uganda — Sorghum farmers in the Lango sub-region say the use of Uganda Breweries threshers has significantly reduced post-harvest losses and improved productivity.
The farmers made the remarks during an interaction with a team from Uganda Breweries in Lira East on Dec. 10. They noted that the threshers have reduced the turnaround time for threshing, making the process more efficient.
Tom Ongom, an elder and one of the founders of the Abur Lango Farmers Cooperative Society, said the threshers have saved time and labor. Unlike manual hand-beating, which was time-consuming and physically demanding, the threshers have eased the process, Ongom said.
“We are grateful for the support from Uganda Breweries,” Ongom said. “The threshers have reduced the time spent on threshing, and our women are no longer complaining of body aches.”
Ongom also praised Uganda Breweries for providing high-quality seeds, which has supported the production of sorghum. He called for more sensitization to encourage locals to embrace commercial agriculture, boosting household incomes and alleviating poverty.
Isaac Oret, the Cooperative Society Coordinator, said manual threshing had become a challenge, with some people complaining of back pain. However, with the thresher in place, threshing and cleaning of sorghum have been eased.
Oret noted that the Cooperative has built its name in sorghum planting and requested Uganda Breweries to keep aggregators close to the farmers. He praised the partnership with Uganda Breweries, saying it has ensured a ready market for their sorghum and a good price, boosting farmers’ income.
Sheila Sabune, the Uganda Breweries Corporate Relations Director, said the threshers donation is part of the company’s efforts to ensure quality grains are produced by farmers. Uganda Breweries works with farmers to get raw materials for its products, Sabune said.
Sabune noted that the company donated threshers after receiving complaints from farmers about the manual beating of sorghum crops. The threshers have reduced the time spent on threshing, from 2-3 days to 10 bags per hour, without straining the mainly female community engaged in the process.
The donation of threshers is part of Uganda Breweries’ “Farm for Success” program, which aims to address farming challenges related to quality inputs and best agricultural practices. Under this program, Uganda Breweries invests UGX 52b annually into farmer communities that supply raw materials used in the production process, benefiting 50,000 farmers in the value chain.
