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Kakumiro, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has urged leaders and residents of the Bunyoro sub-region to embrace the four-acre model farming system, which he believes will unlock economic opportunities and ensure sustainable livelihoods for communities across Uganda.
While launching the four-acre model campaign for Bunyoro at Kikwaya Primary School playground in Kikwaya Sub-County, Kakumiro District, on Friday, President Museveni explained that the model advocates for land diversification. One acre should be dedicated to coffee cultivation, another to fruit trees, the third to staple crops for household consumption, and the fourth to pasture for livestock.
He emphasized that Uganda needs to move away from low-value crops such as maize, sugarcane, rice, and tobacco, given the increasing population and the limited availability of arable land. According to Museveni, embracing this system will allow farmers to also engage in poultry, piggery, and fish farming in ponds, boosting household incomes and lifting families out of poverty in a short period.
The President further linked the four-acre model to the Parish Development Model (PDM), which aims to transition farmers from subsistence to commercial agriculture, leading to enhanced household incomes if fully implemented. He also assured the farmers that his government would soon initiate irrigation schemes to support agriculture in rural areas, which would complement the four-acre model.
Museveni also cautioned against wetland encroachment, advising that fish farming could be done along the edges of wetlands without causing harm to the environment. Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja lauded the initiative, noting that many farmers in Bunyoro had already begun adopting the four-acre model.
However, she emphasized the need for more mobilization efforts from all stakeholders to ensure the success of the program. Nabbanja also highlighted the high school dropout rates in Kakumiro District, attributed to the high school fees imposed on poor parents, even in government-aided schools. She appealed to the President for intervention in addressing the issue.
Fred Byamukama, the Minister of State for Transport and MP for Bugangaizi West, said the goal was to have at least 100 model farmers in each sub-county of the Bunyoro sub-region promoting the four-acre model each year.
Joseph Sentayi, the LC5 Chairperson of Kakumiro, thanked the government for constructing critical oil roads that have improved connectivity between Bunyoro and other regions of the country, boosting trade and commerce in the region.
The four-acre model was introduced following President Museveni’s regional tours in May 2019, with the primary objective of creating wealth, generating jobs, and promoting industrialization to spur economic growth.
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