President Yoweri Museveni has called on the people of Bushenyi district in particular and Uganda at large to engage in commercial agriculture in order to ensure household income and prosperity.
“NAADS has been disbanded due to inefficiency. Funds will henceforth be used through a new agro-programme supervised by the UPDF officers. The rogramme would be based on the successful veterans’ agro-programme which has been in operation for the last 6 months”, he said.
The President made the call during a rally that took place at Butooma Primary School grounds in Bushenyi district. The President is in the area on a 2-day visit to Bushenyi and Mitooma districts. Mr. Museveni said that coffee seedlings would be given to farmers who have prepared their pieces of land in line with the approved agricultural practices.
To banish household poverty, the President urged the people to grow at least one acre of fruits such as mangoes, oranges and pineapples on top of one acre of bananas, another one for elephant grass to enable them rear zero grazing cows for increased milk production. He also advised them to rear chicken for eggs production and pigs for those who are not Muslims.
President Museveni cautioned the people against the vice of land fragmentation which is being practiced particularly after the demise of family heads. He advised families to utilize their pieces of land as consolidated single units and only share the proceeds upon harvest.
He called on the family heads to allow their daughters also to inherit their properties alongside the boys adding that this would enable girls have equal shares with boys and further enhance the welfare of all family members.
He reminded them to care for their health. He, therefore, directed the District Medical Officer to use radio stations to sensitize people on the value of having a balanced diet. President Museveni stressed the need for all family members to access immunization which the Government provides adding that all girls aged between 8 and 12 years of should be immunized against cervical cancer. He also reminded wananchi to utilize medicated mosquito nets that Government has availed to keep malaria at bay. He announced that Government would soon launch residual spraying against mosquitoes. He assured the people of Bitooma Sub-County that their area would be provided with electricity.
At another rally that was held at Kyabugimbi Secondary School, the President said the country has a big potential to develop whereby each person would have the opportunity of earning at least Shs.12 million per acre per annum from the growing of fruits. He also advised people that live near wt lands to embrace fish farming. He reiterated that there is a lot of wealth in the villages through the cultivation of numerous high value crops. He also advised those with small pieces of land to carry out mushroom growing.
Mr. Museveni advised the people of the area to practice drip irrigation during dry spells using plastic bottles. He revealed that in future the NRM Government would make arrangements to provide irrigation systems. He was optimistic that through serious agricultural production, every home was assured of generating at least Shs. 50 million per year.
Mr. Museveni was pleased to inform the people that Kyabugimbi Health Center 4 was ready for their use and that it has capacity to handle surgeries that were previously referred to Bushenyi district hospital. He called on them to join SACCOs as part of measures to raise affordable capital. He donated Shs. 30 million to Kyabugimbi SACCO. He disclosed that the Kyabugimbi – Buhweju road would be up-graded to first class murram.
President Museveni was pleased to receive members of the opposition who crossed to NRM.