Hosting a group of exemplary farmers from the nine villages of Gomba and Sembabule Districts at his Kisozi farm, President Museveni, accompanied by the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Maama Janet Kataha Museveni, underscored the importance of prioritising household income as a catalyst for development.
During the meeting held on Tuesday, 2nd April, 2024, President Museveni emphasised the critical role of leaders in fostering prosperity at the grassroot level as he highlighted the success of the Greater Kisozi Model Villages project initiated in 2011.
“People should work for both the stomach and the pocket and here you should work for the pocket with “ekibaro”. This has been our message since the 1960s. I don’t know why our leaders emphasise the issue of roads, electricity and other infrastructure more and forget the main aspect of household income. We can have good infrastructure but with poverty in place and we can create wealth without good infrastructure,” he said.
In 2011, President Museveni donated cows, goats, coffee seedlings, pigs, money, among other agricultural products to households in nine villages in Gomba and Sembabule with the aim of helping them to fight poverty and generate incomes to improve their livelihoods.
The villages which benefitted include Kirasi, Kisozi A, Kisozi B, Obutugu, Lutunku A, Lutunku B, Kajumilo, Kasozi and Kikuumadungu.
Reflecting on his decades-long journey in mobilising Ugandans to create wealth, the President highlighted his pioneering strategies, dating back to the 1960s, when he initiated a campaign against poverty in the Ankole region.
He noted that his vision was clear, and it was to empower communities by encouraging them to embrace modern farming techniques and entrepreneurship.
President Museveni recalled advising farmers in the cattle corridor to transition from nomadic practices to settled farming, emphasising the benefits of dairy farming and land management.
“The Ankole people embraced my message of wealth creation,” said President Museveni, underscoring the success of his approach in transforming the region’s economy.
The President also reminisced about the challenges faced by the communities in the 1990s, where poverty was rampant with scarce opportunities.
However, he highlighted that his determination to effect change led to the implementation of initiatives such as providing livestock and agricultural resources to households, including cows, coffee and pigs.
President Museveni further reaffirmed his dedication to supporting project beneficiaries to ensure sustained progress.
“We are going to continue adding more resources in the project,” he said as he assured the farmers of the government’s unwavering commitment to driving inclusive growth and prosperity.
The President also reiterated his call to farmers to embrace the four acre model type of farming where he advised that in the first acre they can grow coffee, on the second acre grow fruits, the third acre rear cows for dairy, on the fourth acre grow food crops and in the backyard, they should do poultry, piggery for those who are not Muslims and fish farming for those near the swamps.
“That is how we advised you in the 1996 Manifesto, but you find that people don’t care. We need prosperity for all,” he said.
“Leaders as we do mobilisation, we should know that it involves fighting poverty, fighting ignorance and promoting health because all that concerns us.”
On the other hand, Ms. Sarah Nalwanga, the Project Coordinator, lauded the scheme’s impact, citing significant increases in household assets and agricultural productivity.
So far, 2,035 households have benefited from the project,” she said.
She noted that the project, centered on pillars such as home improvement, food security, income-generating activities, value addition, and SACCO support, aims to empower communities to enhance their livelihoods sustainably.
Through strategic interventions such as the distribution of livestock, agricultural tools, and perennial crops, Ms. Nalwanga said that the project has witnessed tangible progress.
The Members of Parliament from Gomba and Sembabule Districts also expressed gratitude to President Museveni’s visionary leadership and commitment to uplifting the welfare of Ugandans.
They pledged to mobilise communities to embrace government programs such as Parish Development Model (PDM) and Emyooga, aimed at alleviating poverty in the country.
The MPs included, Hon. Robina Rwakoojo of Gomba West County, Hon. Sylvia Nayebare,Gomba District Woman legislator and Hon. Mary Begumisa, Sembabule District Woman legislator.
BENEFICIARIES SPEAK OUT:
Mr. James Kalanda, a resident of Kirasi village, Gomba District, once struggling to make ends meet, now stands as a testimony to the power of opportunity.
“I was given mango seedlings which I planted. Now, I sell each mango at sh500, earning a remarkable sh300,000 per week,” Mr. Kalanda said.
With this newfound income, Mr. Kalanda has not only supported his child’s education but also invested in three motorcycles to transport his produce to neighbouring markets.
Similarly, Ms. Josephine Namusisi, also a resident of Kirasi Village in Gomba District, expressed her gratitude to the President for the project.
“What I am today is because of you, Mr. President. I was so poor, I lived in an unpleasant grass thatched house.”
With support from the initiative, Ms. Namusisi said she received essential tools like hoes and pangas, enabling her to embark on a journey of self-sufficiency.
Embracing cleanliness and innovative farming techniques, she now cultivates food and utilises organic fertilisers, thus enhancing both her livelihood and health.
Another success story came from Mr. George Ssabagabo, also a resident of Kirasi village, who credited the President for being behind his prosperity.
“I have 20 Friesian cows. With your guidance, I now sell three jerrycans of milk per day, earning sh4,2000 from each jerrycan,” he noted.
Through diversifying his agricultural ventures, including banana growing, Mr. Ssabagabo informed the President that he has been able to secure a stable income, allowing him to construct a new home and break free from the poverty’s grip.
The meeting was also attended by the Minister of State for the youth and children, Hon. Balaam Barugahara and the head of the Office of the National Chairman-NRM, Hajjat Hadijah Uzeiye Namyalo.
