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.

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