Wealth creation: Museveni pledges animal feeds machine in Bukedi

The head of State praises model farmers in Busoga Sub-region and has urged Ugandans to adopt a similar entrepreneurial mindset.

President Museveni has pledged to establish a feed-chopping machine in the Bukedi Sub-region in order to make animal feeds more accessible and affordable to dairy farmers.

The President, who made the remarks during his visit to model farmers on November 8, said the machine will help dairy farmers to create wealth.

“I direct Vice President, H.E Jessica Alupo to work on identifying a suitable location for the facility,” he said.

Mr Museveni praised the model farmers in the sub-region and urged Ugandans to adopt a similar entrepreneurial mindset. 

“I want to congratulate the family of Nabutono because of waking up and taking advantage of our advice and also our little support. We have been doing this since 1996 but many people, especially the leaders, were not taking it up and educating the people on how to get out of poverty,” he said. 

Ms Florence Nabutono is one of the model farmers the president visited. She is a resident of Bukoda Cell, Kasasira Town Council in Kibuku District and deals in piggery and poultry.

Ms Nabutono started her farming business with only Shs1 million she got from her Parish Development Model Sacco. With a modest investment, she purchased a pig, which eventually multiplied.

Ms Nabutono said she has been able to pay her children’s school fees and diversify her farm.

“My desire is to expand into dairy farming because milk production would provide a stable source of income for my family now that we will have animal feeds, which has been a hurdle for many farmers,” she said.

Donation

President Museveni provided Ms Nabutono and other model farmers with an additional Shs10 million to purchase dairy cows.

“A dairy cow would provide consistent milk, enabling you to support your family while generating extra income by selling the surplus,” Mr Museveni said.

The President also visited a farm belonging to Mr Nimrod Mulonde, 68, from Kilalaka Village, Kamonkoli South Ward, Kamonkoli Town council in Budaka District.

Mr Mulonde, a retired agriculture officer, said he started the farm in 1984 by growing cabbages, onions, fish farming and diary keeping on a small scale.

“Today, I am practicing animal, fish farming and poultry farming, ventures [enterprises] that have turned me into a model farmer in the area,” he said.

Mr Mulonde has also established 10 fish ponds, and stocked more than 20,000 fish fingerlings to supplement his income.

President Museveni advised the people of Bukedi region to exploit abundant resources in order to fight poverty and create wealth.

“I implore you to spread the gospel among the people of Bukedi so that we shouldn’t preserve poverty. We already have an enlightenment story in the area,” he said.

The sub-region has about 88.3 percent of households still relying on subsistence farming despite government interventions.

In Butebo, President Museveni visited Mr Patrick Keddi, a poultry farmer in Katakwi Village, Butebo Sub-county. Mr Keddi is one of the first beneficiaries under PDM.

He expressed gratitude to the President and shared how the PDM had empowered him to uplift her family. 

Poverty rate

Government statistics show that Bukedi’s poverty rate is 37 percent. Bukedi’s per capita income stands at 43.7 percent, with a GDP per capita of $135 (Shs488,866). 

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