President Museveni has unveiled a new national initiative to transform his demonstration farms into centers of excellence for the 4-acre agricultural model, aimed at eliminating household poverty through structured, small-scale commercial farming.
The president announced this while addressing residents of Kityerera Parish at the State Lodge in Mayuge
district, that the farms will not only demonstrate modern farming practices but also serve as distribution centers for free agricultural inputs to interested households.
“We’re going to develop this farm here according to plan, but at the same time, start giving materials to you people. Those who want coffee, pigs, chicken, or fingerlings for fish, we shall give them directly,” Museveni said.
He reiterated the longstanding government recommendation of the “4- acre model,” a strategic plan that promotes diversification within small landholdings. The model prescribes one acre for coffee, one acre for food crops, one acre for fruits (such as mangoes, pineapples, and oranges), and one acre for pasture for livestock.
Additionally, small backyard spaces should accommodate poultry for eggs, piggery, or fish farming, especially for residents living near wetlands.
“These seven activities can generate sufficient income for any homestead. If you do them well, you’ll not only escape poverty but also create employment and wealth,” Museveni stressed.
The president recalled the genesis of his agricultural advocacy from the 1960s, when he and colleagues in the student movement began campaigning for homestead-based income solutions, contrary to political parties at the time, which focused mainly on power and leadership.
“You don’t sleep on roads or in schools or hospitals unless you are sick. You go back home, and poverty is waiting there with your wife and children. So that’s where we must begin,” he said.
He narrated how the strategy had been successful in the cattle corridor by 1995, leading to a transformation from indigenous to Friesian cows and boosting domestic milk production, which replaced imports from Kenya, New Zealand, and Australia.
This success inspired Museveni to advocate for similar models across the country, including in the Busoga sub-region, although uptake has been inconsistent.
To underscore the model’s viability, Museveni cited multiple examples of individuals who have embraced the approach and reaped significant rewards.
The president revealed that he bought the land in Kityerera with the vision of creating a zonal center that reflects the success achieved in places like Kisozi and the cattle corridor. However, he lamented previous management failures and promised a fresh start.
“We’re going to make this place a center of excellence of the 4-acre model, having all seven activities, including livestock and fish farming,” he pledged.
He advised against environmentally damaging practices like rice farming in wetlands, pointing out that fish farming in peripheral wetland areas is not only sustainable but also significantly more profitable.
“Fish farming can earn you Shs 66 million from just one acre with 8 ponds. That’s more than you can get from growing rice while damaging the environment,” Museveni explained.
