President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has urged farmers in Sheema District to adopt modern irrigation, pasture development, fertilizer application, and commercial agriculture to insulate their livelihoods from drought and eliminate household poverty.
The President made the remarks on Saturday while officiating as chief guest at a thanksgiving ceremony for the Minister of Internal Affairs and Sheema County South Member of Parliament, Prof. Ephraim Kamuntu, held at Bugongi Town Council Playground.
Addressing the severe dry spells that have devastated banana plantations across Sheema and neighboring districts, President Museveni highlighted irrigation as the definitive solution to stabilize agricultural yields year-round.
He explained that the abundant underground water resources across Ankole and Kigezi should be tapped through borehole and solar pumping systems to sustain farming operations during rainfall shortages.
The President also called for an end to uncontrolled free-range grazing, directing livestock farmers to plant pasture and embrace zero-grazing methods to maximize land use and prevent environmental degradation.
Reflecting on his ideological roots, President Museveni shared that his campaign against subsistence livelihoods began during his student days at Mbarara High School and Ntare School, before spreading through the cattle corridor from Nyabushozi in 1966.
He reiterated the value of the four-acre model, pioneered in the 1996 NRM manifesto, which prescribes allocating one acre to coffee, one to fruits, one to pasture for dairy cattle, and one to food crops, supported by backyard poultry, piggery, and fish farming along swamp borders.
President Museveni instructed political and civic leadership to become the "eyes of the people" by actively visiting grassroots households to guide them into the cash economy.
To prevent land fragmentation, the President advised families against subdividing agricultural estates upon the death of parents. Instead, he recommended registering family-owned companies and distributing equity shares to heirs, keeping farmland intact as viable commercial entities.
During the event, President Museveni made multiple development commitments:
- Mechanization Support: Pledged two tractors to Sheema District to improve pasture management and agricultural tillage.
- Health Infrastructure: Committed government resources toward the reconstruction and enhancement of Kitagata Hospital.
- Religious Development: Pledged Shs300 million toward the completion of St. Peter’s Cathedral Bweranyangi in Bushenyi District.
Deputy Speaker of Parliament Rt. Hon. Thomas Tayebwa commended the President for allocating five square miles of land at Ruhengyere in Kiruhura District for regional industrialization.
Tayebwa appealed for emergency government intervention to rescue the Igara Growers Tea Factory from an impending commercial bank takeover, noting that while the President had earlier directed the Uganda Revenue Authority to waive tax penalties, further operational capital is required to stabilize the factory.
Host minister Prof. Ephraim Kamuntu praised the impact of poverty-alleviation programs, including the Parish Development Model (PDM) and Emyooga, across Sheema. He also defended the role of seasoned leadership in public affairs, referencing the biblical Book of Job to argue that proven wisdom and track record should outweigh age considerations in national governance.
