President Yoweri Museveni has concluded a 5-day tour of Kigezi Sub-Region’s districts of Kabale, Kisoro, Kanungu and Rukungiri with a strong cautioning to the residents against land fragmentation. The President mostly dwelt on issues pertaining to household poverty eradication.
The President yesterday strongly warned the people of Rukungiri district and Uganda at large to open their eyes on the dangers of land fragmentation. He told a rally in Bugangari Sub-County, Rujumbura Constituency in Rukungiri district the practice of land fragmentation renders land uneconomic.
“The practice of land fragmentation disorganizes production and income generation,” he said. He cited the example of maize cultivation and the rearing of cattle which are not viable when carried out on small pieces of land. He stressed that the two ventures can only be viable when carried out on large chunks of lands. He noted that several families in Kigezi Sub-Region and other parts of the country have suffered the consequences of land fragmentation most especially after the death of heads of families. He advised family heads to ensure that their children share out the profits from numerous economic activities that are carried out on the family land and avoid completely fragmentation tendencies.
The President encouraged the people of Rukungiri district to cultivate at least an acre of coffee from which they are assured of earning Shs.9 million per annum instead of maize that only generates Shs.2 million from the same acreage. He called on them to plant 450 seedlings of coffee per acre and practice good management in order to ensure good results. He reminded them to do serious analysis before embarking on commercial agricultural production.
The President also advised the residents of the area to grow Irish potatoes and rear dairy cows adding that when they tend to poultry activities for egg production and piggery for non-Muslims, families would be assured of at least Shs.50 million per year. He further urged families that possess bigger pieces of land to grow tea in order to boost their incomes.
Regarding infrastructure, President Museveni said that electricity has been extended to the area. He assured residents in areas that have not yet accessed electricity that the service would soon be extended to them. He also assured the people that the Rukungiri – Kanungu road would be constructed, but hastened to remind them that even before getting electricity and roads, people can still achieve the fundamental goal of good financial returns through modern agricultural ventures.
He informed them that the UPDF Officers have been assigned to supervise the agricultural ventures in all the country’s constituencies. He said under this programme, wananchi would be provided with planting materials free of charge.