Buganda Kingdom Minister for Women and Children Mariam Nkalubo says giving women access to family land for coffee farming and other enterprises can improve household incomes, while tree planting and community mobilisation support environmental conservation.
Buganda Kingdom Minister for Women and Children Mariam Nkalubo has urged men to allocate portions of family land to their wives for agricultural production, saying women’s economic empowerment is key to improving household incomes and driving community development.
Nkalubo made the call during Women and Children’s Day celebrations at Ntenjeru in Bugerere County, Kayunga District, held under the theme “Empower Women to Cause Change in Entrepreneurship, Health and Environment.”
She encouraged women to grow coffee as a source of income and cultivate medicinal plants that could benefit their households and communities.
“Men should give their wives portions of land where they can grow coffee and medicinal plants. Supporting women to engage in productive activities can help improve family livelihoods and contribute to the development of our communities,” Nkalubo said.
She said access to land would enable women to participate more meaningfully in agricultural production, strengthen household livelihoods and contribute to wider economic transformation.
Nkalubo urged men to view women’s participation in agriculture as a partnership that benefits entire families rather than an individual undertaking.
She also called on women to take a leading role in addressing social challenges, protecting the environment and promoting positive change in their communities.
“Women must be exemplary and take the lead in promoting social development. They have an important role to play in transforming their communities and ensuring that families and society achieve prosperity,” she said.
The minister commended Bugerere County’s leadership for mobilising communities towards social development, noting that the efforts had contributed to progress in the county and the wider Buganda Kingdom.
She urged residents to cooperate with leadership structures operating under the Mengo administration to strengthen development programmes and improve livelihoods.
Nkalubo said meaningful development required collective responsibility, calling on community members to participate actively in initiatives intended to improve their welfare.
Call for Tree Planting
On environmental conservation, Nkalubo urged residents to plant trees and other useful plants to protect natural resources for future generations.
She said environmental protection should be treated as a shared responsibility, with women playing a central role in mobilising households to adopt environmentally friendly practices.
To demonstrate her commitment, the minister planted a tree during the celebrations, describing the gesture as a practical reminder of the need to protect the environment.
She encouraged communities to make tree planting part of their efforts to conserve natural resources and support sustainable livelihoods.
Nkalubo also raised concerns about health challenges affecting communities, particularly frequent headaches and other unusual health conditions.
She claimed that about 90% of the population suffered from headaches but did not provide supporting data for the figure. She urged residents to take health concerns seriously and seek appropriate medical attention when necessary.
The celebrations brought together community members and Buganda Kingdom representatives to recognise the contribution of women and children to society and promote initiatives aimed at improving social welfare, environmental conservation and economic opportunities.
Nkalubo said lasting prosperity in Bugerere and the wider Buganda Kingdom would depend on communities embracing change, protecting the environment and giving women greater opportunities to contribute to development.