President Museveni (C) poses for a photo with Prof Ephraim Kamuntu aan members of his family during Kamuntu’s thanksgiving in Sheema on Saturday. PPU Photo
HABARI DAILY I Kampala, Uganda I President Yoweri Museveni has urged farmers in Sheema District to abandon nomadic pastoralism and uncontrolled free-range grazing in favour of pasture growing, irrigation and modern livestock management, saying the practices would boost agricultural productivity, protect livelihoods against drought and help households escape poverty.
The President said poorly managed free-range grazing degrades land and limits the number of animals farmers can sustainably keep, while pasture cultivation and zero grazing enable farmers to manage larger herds on smaller pieces of land and improve livestock productivity.
Museveni made the remarks while officiating at a thanksgiving ceremony for Prof. Ephraim Kamuntu, the Minister of Internal Affairs and Sheema County South Member of Parliament, at Bugongi Town Council Playground in Sheema District.
“I want to thank all the people of Sheema District for supporting me and Prof. Kamuntu in the last elections,” the President said.
He called on farmers to embrace irrigation, pasture growing, fertiliser application and commercial agriculture, stressing that households must move beyond subsistence production if they are to improve their incomes and withstand the effects of climate-related challenges.
Prof Ephraim Kamuntu introduces members of his family during his thanksgiving in Sheema on Saturday. PPU Photo
Museveni traced his commitment to fighting poverty to his school days at Mbarara High School and Ntare School, where he developed an interest in understanding how agricultural production could transform people’s livelihoods.
He recalled spending weekends visiting government stock farms, where he observed livestock spraying, improved milk production and the use of agricultural infrastructure to increase productivity.
The President said these experiences helped him appreciate the difference between organised, productive agriculture and subsistence activities in which families produce mainly to meet their immediate needs.
“It was at Ntare School where I developed the thirst to deliver Africans from poverty, starting with Ugandans,” he said.
Museveni said his wealth creation campaign gained momentum after he moved from Ntungamo to Nyabushozi in 1966, where he encountered communities largely dependent on subsistence farming and nomadic pastoralism.
He said the message subsequently spread across the cattle corridor, with the government seeking to transform household production from subsistence activities into commercially oriented agriculture.
Explaining the four-acre model introduced in the 1996 National Resistance Movement manifesto, Museveni said households with limited land could still generate substantial income by allocating their available space to productive agricultural enterprises.
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.
Families can supplement their earnings through poultry and piggery projects in their backyards, while those living near swamps can undertake fish farming along swamp edges, he said.
Museveni explained that visits to the Bushenyi area had revealed that although some households had embraced dairy and coffee farming, many others remained trapped in poverty.
This prompted him to seek land on which to demonstrate how households could achieve greater production and income from relatively small plots.
He expressed satisfaction with the progress made in promoting wealth creation but challenged political and local leaders to intensify efforts to reach households that had not 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.
The President urged leaders to ensure that every household understands how to transition from subsistence production to participation in the money economy.
On the prolonged drought affecting banana plantations in Sheema and other parts of the country, Museveni identified irrigation as a critical intervention for protecting crops, improving yields and sustaining production during dry seasons.
He said underground water resources in parts of Ankole and Kigezi could be tapped to support irrigation, enabling farmers to maintain production when rainfall is inadequate.
He also urged local leaders to encourage farmers to grow pasture for livestock and apply fertilisers to improve crop yields.
Museveni further called on families to protect wealth across generations by avoiding the subdivision of property following the death of parents. Instead, he advised them to consider registering companies to own family property and allocating shares to beneficiaries, allowing inheritance without breaking assets into smaller, potentially less productive units.
On infrastructure, he 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.
The President pledged support for the construction of Kitagata Hospital and other development projects, including those in Bundibugyo. He also committed two tractors to Sheema District to help address challenges associated with poor-quality grass.
Additionally, Museveni pledged Shs300 million towards completing St Peter’s Cathedral Bweranyangi, a Church of Uganda project in Bushenyi District.
Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa thanked the President for dedicating five square miles of land in Ruhengyere, Kiruhura District, to the Ankole sub-region for establishing industries intended to create jobs and stimulate economic development.
Tayebwa also appealed for government support for Igara Tea Factory, which he said was experiencing financial difficulties and risked being taken over by a bank. He noted that Museveni had already directed the Uganda Revenue Authority to waive the factory’s tax arrears, calling for additional assistance to sustain its operations.
Prof. Kamuntu thanked Museveni for attending the thanksgiving ceremony, saying their relationship dated back to their school days at Mbarara High School and Ntare School.
He argued that leadership should be judged by a person’s contribution rather than age, citing the biblical Book of Job in support of the wisdom associated with older people. He also thanked the President for recognising his potential and giving him an opportunity to serve in government.
Kamuntu commended government wealth creation programmes, including the Parish Development Model and Emyooga, saying they were positively affecting 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 programmes reach people at the grassroots.
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