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.
Museveni challenged local leaders to actively reach out to grassroot communities and preach wealth creation. He emphasized that households must transition from low-yield subsistence production to intentional participation in the money economy.
Addressing the severe dry spells that have devastated banana plantations across Sheema and the wider Ankole region, Museveni highlighted irrigation as a non-negotiable intervention. He noted that farmers should utilize underground water resources available in parts of Ankole and Kigezi to sustain crops during dry seasons.
The President instructed farmers to abandon traditional, uncontrolled free-range grazing. Instead, he advised them to cultivate improved pastures and adopt intensive, highly productive livestock management practices.
Reaffirming a long-standing government strategy, Museveni encouraged small-scale landowners to embrace the Four-Acre Model. This blueprint guides high-yield commercial farming on small plots by combining profitable ventures like coffee, fruits, dairy, and food crops.
Prior to the main address, Museveni cautioned Sheema residents against dividing family land among heirs into uneconomical pieces, warning that land fragmentation heavily dismantles agricultural productivity.
Thanks for votes
“I want to thank all the people of Sheema District for supporting me and Prof. Kamuntu in the last elections,” the President said.
Background
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.
The Deputy Speaker of Parliament, 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.
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.
