President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has urged farmers in Sheema District to embrace irrigation, improved pasture growing, fertiliser use and commercial agriculture to protect their livelihoods against drought and increase agricultural productivity.
The President made the remarks while officiating at a thanksgiving ceremony for Prof. Ephraim Kamuntu, the Minister of Internal Affairs and Member of Parliament for Sheema County South, held at Bugongi Town Council Playground in Sheema District.
Museveni said farmers should reduce their dependence on rainfall by investing in irrigation systems that would enable them to sustain crop production during prolonged dry spells, which have affected banana plantations in Sheema and other parts of the country.
He noted that underground water resources in parts of Ankole and Kigezi could be tapped to support irrigation and help farmers maintain production even when rainfall is insufficient.
The President also urged farmers to adopt modern livestock management practices, including growing pasture and embracing zero grazing, instead of relying on uncontrolled free-range grazing.
He explained that proper pasture management could improve livestock productivity and enable farmers to keep more animals on limited land.
Museveni further called on local leaders to mobilise communities to invest in irrigation, pasture production and fertilisers to improve crop yields and strengthen household incomes.
The President reiterated his call for households to embrace commercial agriculture through the four-acre model, which was introduced in the 1996 National Resistance Movement manifesto to help families escape poverty using relatively small pieces of land.
Under the model, he advised farmers to allocate one acre to coffee, another to fruit growing, a third to pasture for livestock and the fourth to food crops for household consumption.
He said households could supplement their incomes through poultry and piggery projects, while families living near swamps could consider fish farming along swamp edges.
Museveni traced his commitment to fighting poverty to his school days at Mbarara High School and Ntare School, where he developed an interest in agricultural production after observing practices at government stock farms.
“It was at Ntare School where I developed the thirst to deliver Africans from poverty, starting with Ugandans,” he said.
He recalled that his wealth creation campaign gained momentum after moving from Ntungamo to Nyabushozi in 1966, where he encountered communities largely engaged in subsistence farming and nomadic pastoralism.
The President said he was pleased with the progress made in promoting wealth creation but urged political and local leaders to intensify mobilisation efforts to reach households that had not yet embraced commercial production.
“You leaders are the eyes of the people you lead. Reach out to the lowest people in the village and preach the message of wealth creation,” Museveni said.
He urged leaders to ensure that households understand how to transition from subsistence production to participation in the money economy.
As part of efforts to address agricultural challenges in the district, Museveni pledged two tractors to Sheema to help improve farming and tackle problems associated with poor-quality grass.
He also pledged government support for the construction of Kitagata Hospital and other development projects, including initiatives in Bundibugyo.
On infrastructure, the President said government would continue working on roads in the area, noting that some projects were already underway.
However, he cautioned residents against using poor roads as an excuse for remaining in poverty, urging them to embrace wealth creation so that improved infrastructure would benefit economically empowered households.
Museveni also called on families to protect wealth across generations by avoiding excessive subdivision of property following the death of parents.
He advised families to consider registering companies to own property and allocating shares to beneficiaries, allowing them to inherit interests in assets without fragmenting land and other productive investments.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Thomas Tayebwa, thanked Museveni for dedicating five square miles of land in Ruhengyere, Kiruhura District, to the Ankole sub-region for industrial development.
Tayebwa said the initiative could promote job creation and economic growth but also appealed for government support for Igara Tea Factory, which he said was facing financial difficulties and risked being taken over by a bank.
He noted that the President had already directed the Uganda Revenue Authority to waive the factory’s tax arrears and called for further intervention to sustain its operations.
Prof. Kamuntu thanked Museveni for attending his thanksgiving ceremony, noting that their relationship dates back to their school days at Mbarara High School and Ntare School.
He also commended government wealth creation initiatives, including the Parish Development Model and Emyooga, saying they were having a positive impact on communities in Sheema District.
Kamuntu pledged continued cooperation between the district’s parliamentary representatives and the government to advance development programmes and ensure that they reach people at the grassroots.
The thanksgiving ceremony was attended by senior government officials, religious leaders and local leaders.