President Yoweri Museveni has called on residents of Kibaale District to adopt the 4-acre farming model as a key strategy to fight poverty in their communities. Speaking at the launch of this initiative, President Museveni emphasized the importance of sustainable farming practices during an event attended by local leaders and thousands of community members.
The launch took place on Friday, and among those present were notable figures such as Minister of State for Works and Transport Fred Byamukama, Finance Minister Matia Kasaija, and Prime Minister Robbina Nabanjja among others.
President Museveni explained that large pieces of land are becoming scarce, making it necessary for farmers to shift to the 4-acre model, which has shown great success in areas such as Ankole and Masaka.
“Maize, tobacco, and sugar cane all need large areas. The 4-acre model is less intensive and will help farmers make the most of their land,” he said.
During his speech, Museveni shared that he has personally used the 4-acre model since 1996. He described how this approach allows for income-generating activities, including raising livestock, growing food crops, poultry, and fish farming.
The President also recalled his fight against poverty that began in the 1960s. He noted that many cattle farmers in Ankole relied on grazing large numbers of cattle, which is not viable with diminishing land. To address this, he suggested that they adopt the Friesian cow breed, known for producing a lot of milk on smaller plots of land.
In particular, Museveni encouraged residents of Kisozi, who have struggled with poverty, to implement the 4-acre model. He shared that over 1,900 families in Kisozi have already started to overcome poverty by following his advice.
Hon. Byamukama, the MP for Kakumiro, spoke about his own success after learning the 4-acre model from the President’s example, stating that he now earns over UGX 70 million a year.
Abigaba Stuart, a 35-year-old farmer, shared his success story, explaining that he earns UGX 21 million from coffee farming on just 2 acres, which has enabled him to build a permanent home.
Sempijja, another maize farmer, reported that he earns UGX 800,000 from one acre of maize in a year. He also discussed his frustrations with the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA), calling for changes and promising to provide coffee seedlings to fellow farmers.
To support the implementation of the 4-acre model, President Museveni urged Kibaale residents to take advantage of government programs like the Parish Development Model (PDM) and initiatives from the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO), which will help distribute coffee seedlings to local farmers.
