DR. MUSOKE KISANJA LAUNCHES FOUR-ACRE MODEL FARM IN MITYANA TO BOOST COMMERCIAL AGRICULTURE

The Senior Presidential Advisor on Agribusiness and Value Addition, Dr.
Hillary Emmanuel Musoke Kisanja, has launched the SENTFARM
Agribusiness Hub "Awaka", a model demonstration farm in Ssebobo Village, Mityana District, as part of efforts to promote commercial
agriculture and household wealth creation.

Speaking during the launch yesterday, Dr. Kisanja said the
demonstration farm aligns with President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni's
Four-Acre Model initiative, which seeks to transform smallholder farming
into profitable commercial enterprises through modern and sustainable
agricultural practices.

He reaffirmed the government's commitment to promoting modern
farming, increasing household incomes, and accelerating socio-
economic transformation through agriculture.

Owned by Robert Ssentamu and his wife, Racheal Birabwa Ssentamu,
the demonstration farm showcases practical and affordable farming
technologies, including mature coffee plantations, banana gardens, and
coffee seedlings irrigated using recycled plastic bottles—a water
conservation technique first demonstrated by President Museveni at his
Kawumu demonstration farm.

Dr. Kisanja encouraged farmers to embrace the Four-Acre Model as a
business-oriented approach capable of generating sustainable income
even on small land holdings.

He explained that under the model, farmers are encouraged to dedicate
one acre to food crops, another to fruits, a third to high-value enterprises
such as dairy farming, poultry, piggery or fish farming, while the
remaining acre is reserved for pasture production. He added that
households with less than four acres can also adapt the model to
maximise productivity.

"Many people have practised farming for years without escaping poverty
because they have not treated it as a business. The President
introduced the Four-Acre Model to help Ugandans maximise productivity
and earn income throughout the year," Dr. Kisanja said.

The farm owners commended President Museveni for championing
agriculture as a pathway to wealth creation, noting that the initiative
inspired them to transition from operating a hardware business in
Kampala's Nakasero Market to commercial farming following the
economic disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

While appreciating the government’s continued support for agriculture,
the couple highlighted water scarcity and limited access to agricultural
extension services as key challenges affecting productivity. They
appealed for increased investment in irrigation infrastructure,
mechanisation and extension services to enable more farmers to benefit
from commercial agriculture.

Responding to the concerns, Dr. Kisanja acknowledged the challenges
and pledged to work with district leaders to strengthen the demonstration
farm and develop it into a centre of excellence where other Four-Acre
Model farmers can acquire practical knowledge and skills.

He also urged farmers to organise themselves into groups to improve
their access to government programmes, noting that organised farmer

associations are better positioned to benefit from government support
and agricultural services.

Dr. Kisanja further encouraged Ugandans to take full advantage of the
country's fertile soils and abundant natural resources, describing
agriculture as one of the strongest drivers of household wealth creation
and national economic transformation.

He also called on farmers to preserve indigenous seed varieties while
embracing modern farming technologies, improved seedlings, organic
fertilisers and better post-harvest handling practices to enhance
productivity and competitiveness.

The launch attracted local leaders, farmers and development partners,
including African-American Pan-Africanist Queen Nina Womack from
Los Angeles, California, who is visiting Uganda under an agro-tourism
programme.

Ms. Womack praised Uganda’s vast agricultural potential and described
Africans as hardworking, innovative and passionate about agriculture.
She encouraged stronger partnerships between Africa and the African
diaspora to unlock investment opportunities in agribusiness and value
addition.

Dr. Kisanja, in turn, called upon African Americans and other
international investors to explore Uganda’s enormous agricultural
potential, particularly in irrigation, agricultural technology, value addition
and modern storage facilities, noting that the government remains
committed to supporting genuine investors.

The launch of the SENTFARM Agribusiness Hub marks another
milestone in advancing President Museveni's vision of commercial
agriculture by demonstrating practical farming solutions that can

increase productivity, improve household incomes and contribute to
Uganda's socio-economic transformation.