President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has urged people in Busoga to embrace wealth creation programmes and adopt productive agricultural enterprises suited to the size of their landholdings as a way of overcoming household poverty.
President Museveni made the call on Wednesday while officiating at the thanksgiving ceremony of the Minister for the Presidency and Budiope West Member of Parliament, Hon. Babirye Milly Babalanda, held at Iringa Township Primary School in Nkondo Sub County, Buyende District.
The President said land fragmentation remains one of the major challenges affecting household incomes in Busoga, where successive generations often inherit increasingly smaller portions of land.
He said the shrinking size of landholdings makes it difficult for families to achieve economic security through conventional farming and urged residents to choose enterprises that match the amount of land available to them.
President Museveni said the NRM Government has, since the 1996 manifesto, promoted programmes such as the Four Acre Model to help households maximise income from limited land through a combination of productive enterprises.
He explained that farmers with small plots should focus on intensive enterprises, while those with larger landholdings can engage in extensive production.
He cited dairy farming, poultry and fish farming as examples of enterprises capable of generating substantial incomes from relatively small pieces of land.
The President gave the example of George Matongo, a farmer in Ngoma, Nakaseke District, whom he said produces about 900 litres of milk daily and earns more than Shs21 million per month.
He also cited Johnson Basangwa of Kamuli, who, according to the President, operates a poultry enterprise on a small piece of land and earns about Shs20 million per day.
“Even if you do not do all the seven activities, as long as what you are doing is taking you out of poverty and you are doing it with calculation, ekibaaro, you can succeed,” President Museveni said.
He urged residents to make proper use of funds received under the Parish Development Model, stressing that the money should be invested in enterprises capable of generating sustainable household incomes.
President Museveni said the Four Acre Model should not be interpreted as restricting farmers to particular enterprises. He cited Namubiru Rashida of Butambala, who rears goats, as an example of a farmer who has succeeded through an enterprise outside the activities commonly associated with the model.
The President also encouraged residents to explore economic opportunities associated with wetlands and other natural resources, provided such activities are undertaken within the law.
He specifically promoted fish farming around wetlands, saying the enterprise can generate significant income from relatively small pieces of land.
According to the President, two fish ponds established on one acre of land could potentially generate up to Shs140 million.
He cautioned residents against relying excessively on sugarcane, rice and tobacco growing on small plots of land, arguing that the returns from such activities may not be sufficient to transform household incomes.
President Museveni further reminded Ugandans that Government has identified four broad sectors through which citizens can participate in wealth creation and economic transformation: commercial agriculture, services, ICT and manufacturing.
He encouraged residents to identify opportunities within the four sectors based on their circumstances, skills and available resources.
On natural resources, President Museveni said minerals and water bodies are national resources regulated by Government, while communities living near them can benefit within the existing legal and regulatory framework.
He said Government would continue regulating fishing activities on lakes to address congestion and ensure sustainable utilisation of fisheries resources, while encouraging communities to invest in fish farming.
The President also pledged to provide a milk cooling tank and related facilities to support dairy farmers in Buyende District.
During the ceremony, President Museveni also elevated Sarah Kasadha from Deputy Resident District Commissioner to Resident District Commissioner. Kasadha currently serves in Namayingo District and is the daughter of the late Samuel Kasadha, who served as a FRONASA coordinator for Busoga.
The Third Deputy Prime Minister and Minister without Portfolio, Rt. Hon. Rukia Isanga Nakadama, thanked President Museveni for the Parish Development Model, saying the programme is enabling young people and other Ugandans to engage in income generating activities and work their way out of poverty.
Minister Babalanda said the thanksgiving ceremony was organised to thank God for the gift of life, appreciate President Museveni for entrusting her with ministerial responsibilities and renew her commitment to serving the people of Budiope West.
She commended the President for development projects in Buyende District, including improvements to the road network and the new ferry, which she said had eased water transport.
Babalanda also called for the establishment of a technical institute in Buyende to equip young people with practical skills and enable them to create employment opportunities.
The Buyende District Woman Member of Parliament, Hon. Sarah Namulondo, thanked President Museveni for what she described as peace and stability in the district, which she attributed to the presence of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces and Police.
She also raised concerns about the planned nuclear project in Bukungu, asking Government to expedite compensation for residents affected by the project.
Namulondo said some residents were living with uncertainty over possible displacement and were therefore reluctant to make long term investments on their land.
Pastor Jimmy Kajura of the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Buyende thanked President Museveni for providing security during the recent elections in the Busoga sub region.
Pastor Samuel Kajoba commended the President for his efforts against corruption and said he had remained committed to the pledges contained in the NRM manifesto.
He also welcomed the establishment of the National Cleaning Day, saying improved sanitation would help reduce disease. He thanked the President for accommodating the religious observances of the Seventh Day Adventist community on the designated day.
Speaking on behalf of NRM chairpersons in the Busoga sub region, the NRM Chairperson for Iganga District, Hajji Abubakar Walubi, commended President Museveni for promoting household wealth creation through the Four Acre Model.
However, he said limited land remains a major challenge affecting household incomes in Busoga and called for additional interventions tailored to the region’s circumstances.
Walubi also called for community based irrigation projects, arguing that irrigation interventions should benefit communities rather than individual beneficiaries.
The thanksgiving ceremony was attended by religious leaders, political leaders, Government officials, Members of Parliament and residents from Buyende and other parts of the Busoga sub region.
