PRESIDENT MUSEVENI URGES SHEEMA FARMERS TO EMBRACE IRRIGATION, COMMERCIAL AGRICULTURE TO FIGHT POVERTY

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has urged farmers in Sheema District to
embrace irrigation, pasture growing, fertiliser use and commercial
agriculture to boost productivity, protect their livelihoods against drought
and lift households out of poverty.

President Museveni made the remarks today while officiating at a
thanksgiving ceremony for Prof. Ephraim Kamuntu at Bugongi Town
Council Playground in Sheema District. Prof. Kamuntu is the Minister of
Internal Affairs and Member of Parliament for Sheema County South.
“I want to thank all the people of Sheema District for supporting me and
Prof. Kamuntu in the last elections,” the President said.

President Museveni said his commitment to fighting poverty dates back to
his school days at Mbarara High School and Ntare School, where he
developed an interest in understanding how agriculture could improve
people's livelihoods.

He recalled visiting government stock farms during weekends, where he
observed livestock spraying, improved milk production and the use of
agricultural infrastructure to increase productivity.

He contrasted these practices with the subsistence activities that many local communities relied on to meet their immediate household needs.

“It was at Ntare School where I developed the thirst to deliver Africans from
poverty, starting with Ugandans,” he said.

The President said his wealth creation campaign gained momentum after
he moved from Ntungamo to Nyabushozi in 1966, where he encountered
communities largely engaged in subsistence farming and nomadic
pastoralism.

He said the message later spread across the cattle corridor, contributing to
efforts to transform household production from subsistence to commercial
agriculture.

Four-acre model:

President Museveni explained that the four-acre model, introduced in the
1996 National Resistance Movement (NRM) manifesto, was designed to
help households with small pieces of land escape poverty through
commercial farming.

Under the model, he advised farmers to dedicate one acre to coffee,
another to fruit growing, a third to pasture for livestock and the fourth to
food crops for household consumption.

He added that families could supplement their incomes through poultry and
piggery projects in their backyards, while those living near swamps could
undertake fish farming along the swamp edges.

The President said his visits to the Bushenyi area revealed that although
some families had embraced dairy and coffee farming, many others
remained trapped in poverty.

He said this prompted him to seek land on which to demonstrate how
households could generate substantial production and income from
relatively small plots.

President Museveni expressed satisfaction with progress made in wealth
creation but called on political and local leaders to intensify efforts to reach
households that had not yet adopted 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,” he said.
He urged leaders to ensure that every household understands how to
transition from subsistence production to participation in the money
economy.

Irrigation, pasture to counter drought:

Addressing the prolonged drought that has affected banana plantations in
Sheema and other parts of the country, President Museveni identified
irrigation as a key intervention for protecting crops, improving yields and
sustaining agricultural production during dry seasons.

He noted that underground water resources in parts of Ankole and Kigezi
could be tapped to support irrigation, allowing farmers to maintain
production even when rainfall is inadequate.

The President also urged farmers to abandon uncontrolled free-range
grazing in favour of pasture growing and more productive livestock
management practices.

He explained that poorly managed free-range grazing can degrade land
and limit productivity, while proper pasture management and zero grazing
can enable farmers to keep more animals on the same piece of land.

He called on local leaders to encourage farmers to invest in irrigation
systems, grow pasture for their livestock and use fertilisers to improve crop
yields.

Preserve family wealth:

President Museveni further urged families to protect wealth across
generations by avoiding the subdivision of property following the death of
parents.

Instead, he advised families to consider registering companies that own the
property and allocating shares to beneficiaries, allowing them to inherit
interests in the assets without breaking them into smaller, less productive
units.

On infrastructure, the President said the government would work 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 find them economically empowered.

President Museveni also pledged support for the construction of Kitagata
Hospital and other development projects, including those in Bundibugyo.
He further committed two tractors to Sheema District to help address
challenges associated with poor-quality grass.

The President also pledged Shs300 million towards the completion of St
Peter’s Cathedral Bweranyangi, a Church of Uganda project in Bushenyi
District.

The Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Thomas Tayebwa, thanked
President Museveni for dedicating five square miles of land in Ruhengyere,
Kiruhura District, to the Ankole sub-region for the establishment of
industries aimed at creating jobs and promoting economic development.

Rt. Hon. Tayebwa also appealed for government support for the Igara Tea
Factory, which he said was experiencing financial difficulties and risked
being taken over by a bank.

He noted that the President had already directed the Uganda Revenue
Authority (URA) to waive the factory’s tax arrears and called for further
support to help sustain its operations.

Prof. Kamuntu thanked President 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 weighed in on debates about age and leadership, arguing that the
key consideration should be a leader’s contribution rather than age. He
cited the biblical Book of Job in support of the wisdom associated with older
people.

Prof. Kamuntu expressed gratitude to President Museveni for recognising
his potential and giving him the opportunity to serve in government.

He also commended government wealth creation initiatives, including the
Parish Development Model (PDM) and Emyooga, saying they were having
a positive impact on communities in Sheema District.

On behalf of the Sheema parliamentary group, he pledged continued
cooperation with the government to advance its development agenda and
ensure that programmes reach people at the grassroots.

The thanksgiving ceremony was attended by senior government officials,
religious leaders and local leaders.