By Umar Nsubuga
Rice growers still stand another chance of benefiting after harvesting the rice. After a very long process of growing, watering and then harvesting, rice growers use the piles of rice stalks to mulch.
The piles of rice stalks are mostly used in the dry season for keeping the soil moist. For a dry season, the soil tends to lose water easily when not covered.
Alex Isabirye a rice farmer in Kibuku district says If the piles of the rice stalks are spread on the soil top, the water content in the soil is conserved.
For many agriculturalists, when the soil is covered, it does not lose its fertility and moisture that easily. Also in the rainy season, the mulch prevents surface erosion.
According to Isabirye rice stalks can also be used to mulch the banana, vanilla and coffee plantations. “Rice growers still stand to benefit from these stalks when they are sold to the other farmers who would love to mulch their land too”, he says.
Farmers who had not known of this before, should not throw away or burn these piles of rice stalks or any other stalks for they are useful to the entire community.
