Editor,

Please allow me to comment on the article, "NAEB moves to ensure sustainable fruits supply”, (The New Times, October 25).

I wish to thank NAEB staff for promoting horticulture. However, the fruit commodity chain is still very poor and lacking. It would be meaningless to want to promote a sustainable system without mentioning the whole fruit commodity chain. It looks like Mr. Corneille Ntakirutimana director in charge of production at NAEB) kind of blames farmers for their "mentality”.

Farmers should "never” be blamed for poor commodity chain. Only an efficient commodity chain can ensure a sustainable fruit production and supply. How poor is the commodity chain? If it’s not the delay or absence of inputs, then it’s the absence of extension services.

There has also been a problem of an extremely poor monitoring and evaluation system. When you monitor what is being produced, then it is easy to do checks and balances. Blaming the farmers is, therefore, similar to shooting your own feet.

NAEB officers are change agents and whatever they do should reflect that status.

We expect them to talk about achievements and reasonable challenges, not farmer "mentalities”. However, all said and done, we thank NAEB work so far done.

James Munanura, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda