{UAH} You win with farming than sports betting-DO THE UGANDAN YOUTH GET THIS MESSAGE!!!
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11:46 AM |
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You win with farming than sports betting
Engaging in farming is a more valuable use of time, money and available resources than gambling, where there are more losers than winners. PHOTO BY ABUBAKER LUBOWA AND FILE PHOTO
By Andrew Ndawula Kalema
Posted Tuesday, March 11 2014 at 18:09
Posted Tuesday, March 11 2014 at 18:09
IN SUMMARY
They can name all the teams, the star players, when and how much each of them was bought or sold, and who is on form and who is not. But they cannot name the minister of agriculture or relate the fighting in South Sudan to drastic drops in prices of pineapples and water melon in their village
The rate at which the youth are getting connected to internet via mobile phone is encouraging. That is until you find out what information they seek from internet; sports updates. It is amazing how much the average youth in Uganda knows about English Premier League.
They can name all the teams, the star players, when and how much each of them was bought or sold, and who is on form and who is not. But they cannot name the minister of agriculture or relate the fighting in South Sudan to drastic drops in prices of pineapples and water melon in their village.
Rechannel resources
At the risk of being labelled a social bore, I readily confess to being sports illiterate. True, my first port of call in journalism was sports writing, and before that I was a national athlete.
However, I claim to be sports illiterate, to avoid senseless arguments. Just look around you; whenever there are two or three youths arguing, chances are it is about the Premier League.
At the risk of being labelled a social bore, I readily confess to being sports illiterate. True, my first port of call in journalism was sports writing, and before that I was a national athlete.
However, I claim to be sports illiterate, to avoid senseless arguments. Just look around you; whenever there are two or three youths arguing, chances are it is about the Premier League.
If time, money and brains and other resources spent on monitoring foreign sports action were to be rechannelled into agriculture, the sector would be performing much better. But, to the Premier League-obsessed youth, arguing about soccer the whole day is not wasting time.
On the contrary, it is considered a strategic investment; acquiring vital information on which teams to bet on. Just like revision of class notes before exams, they consult their "data" before placing a bet.
This obsession with foreign sports is an early symptom of a deadly addiction that is rapidly spreading among Ugandans, especially the youth. Resources are being diverted from farming and channelled into gambling, with dire consequences to the agriculture sector.
This obsession with foreign sports is an early symptom of a deadly addiction that is rapidly spreading among Ugandans, especially the youth. Resources are being diverted from farming and channelled into gambling, with dire consequences to the agriculture sector.
The evil in gambling
Every village has a story to share about a farmer who sold livestock or crops or even farm implements to invest in betting, or a youth who made a fortune in the harvest season, only to lose it all to the slot machine.
As farmers prepare the fields for planting, they are faced with a serious problem of labour shortage. Where have all the youth gone?
Every village has a story to share about a farmer who sold livestock or crops or even farm implements to invest in betting, or a youth who made a fortune in the harvest season, only to lose it all to the slot machine.
As farmers prepare the fields for planting, they are faced with a serious problem of labour shortage. Where have all the youth gone?
They are in the urban centres playing Ludo, pool, cards or placing bets. Almost every town now has video hall, a pool table and a betting stall.
It is strange that while government is keen to protect its "innocent" citizens from harmful "foreign" cultures like homosexuality and pornography, it has done little to warn them about the evil in gambling.
On earning some money, for instance, after selling coffee or maize, the first item most youth buy is a touch-screen mobile phone with an internet connection.
It is strange that while government is keen to protect its "innocent" citizens from harmful "foreign" cultures like homosexuality and pornography, it has done little to warn them about the evil in gambling.
On earning some money, for instance, after selling coffee or maize, the first item most youth buy is a touch-screen mobile phone with an internet connection.
Money in farming
In my village, they call the touch screen--kibanja, probably because of its size and the amount of money it costs. To many proud owners, having one is like carrying a piece of land (ekibanja) in your pocket.
How do we get the youth away from the gambling dens back to the farm?
First, we need to find out what attracts them to gambling. It is the prize money. It is every gambler's dream to win big. Though, there are more losers than winners, they keep hoping to be among the winners.
In my village, they call the touch screen--kibanja, probably because of its size and the amount of money it costs. To many proud owners, having one is like carrying a piece of land (ekibanja) in your pocket.
How do we get the youth away from the gambling dens back to the farm?
First, we need to find out what attracts them to gambling. It is the prize money. It is every gambler's dream to win big. Though, there are more losers than winners, they keep hoping to be among the winners.
Is there prize money in farming? There is "big money" in farming, if you know where to look. To demonstrate how easy it is to become a millionaire, the late Fred Semaganda, then Kampala mayor, used to give an example of a banana leaf seller who harvests one million leaves and sells them at a shilling each and voila, becomes an instant millionaire. Of course, it is not that easy.
Where are the opportunities to make big money in farming? Just like it is with betting, to identify the opportunities in farming, you need information. That information is all around.
Let us start with that kibanja phone you are using to monitor the English Premier League.
The internet is a gold mine that is waiting to be tapped. It is a resource that can transform your life for the better. You do not need to go back to school to study agriculture, if you have access to the internet.
It is a virtual classroom. With an internet-enabled mobile phone, you have the entire farming world in your palm.
The internet is a gold mine that is waiting to be tapped. It is a resource that can transform your life for the better. You do not need to go back to school to study agriculture, if you have access to the internet.
It is a virtual classroom. With an internet-enabled mobile phone, you have the entire farming world in your palm.
Information is vital
Ten years ago, I was spending a lot of money every year buying past issues of Farmers Weekly magazines from UK and South Africa. I could not afford current issues.
Today, I read them free online. All I have to invest in is an internet connection.
Ten years ago, I was spending a lot of money every year buying past issues of Farmers Weekly magazines from UK and South Africa. I could not afford current issues.
Today, I read them free online. All I have to invest in is an internet connection.
While you use your kibanja phone to receive sports updates, I use mine to get farming updates. What an opportunity. With a phone, you can make good use of the time you waste in traffic jams or arguing about the Premier League.
Radio is another source of information. The radio has always been an important source of information in Uganda; where low literacy levels are only rivalled by low purchasing power.
Radio is another source of information. The radio has always been an important source of information in Uganda; where low literacy levels are only rivalled by low purchasing power.
The liberalisation of the airwaves followed by the flooding of the local market with cheap radio sets has seen almost everyone, including children, acquire a radio set.
Better gamble
Sports and political talk shows attract the biggest audiences. A radio station which has sports programmes is easily one of the most popular. Some sports and political commentators and analysts are treated like deities by their adoring fans.
Sports and political talk shows attract the biggest audiences. A radio station which has sports programmes is easily one of the most popular. Some sports and political commentators and analysts are treated like deities by their adoring fans.
The same radio stations also air development programmes, including farming, which are dismissively referred to as "stuff for old people".
The same applies to TV. Are you really getting your money's worth by restricting yourself to only the sports channels?
The same applies to TV. Are you really getting your money's worth by restricting yourself to only the sports channels?
True, some people are already addicted to gambling. My advice is you are better off gambling with farming. It is more predictable than the Premier League, especially if you put to proper use the resources around you.
The author is a farming journalist and a consultant.
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