Kakumiro, Uganda: President Yoweri Museveni on Friday launched the four-acre model of farming in the Greater Bunyoro subregion, highlighting its potential to revolutionise the livelihoods of farmers in Kakumiro, Kibaale, Kagadi, and Kikuube districts.
The President began his visit with a tour of successful model farmers in Kakumiro District and later addressed a large gathering at Kikwaya playgrounds.
During the rally, he emphasised the importance of modern farming practices and shared insights from his long-standing efforts to improve agricultural productivity in Uganda.
President Museveni underscored the significance of enterprise selection and proper land utilisation, key principles of the four-acre model.
He acknowledged testimonies from farmers who have benefited from the initiative, as well as challenges faced by those who selected unsuitable enterprises.
“Several people attested to the success of the four-acre model, while others shared the difficulties arising from poor enterprise choices,” Museveni said in a post on X, formerly Twitter. He commended local leaders for championing the model and urged them to continue providing practical guidance to farmers.
The President also reflected on his earlier efforts to transform traditional mindsets about wealth and livestock farming. He recounted the challenges he faced in encouraging the Banyankole community to adopt high-quality cattle breeds suitable for limited grazing land.
Encouraging Youth Participation
In his address, Museveni highlighted the role of youth in driving societal progress. He reminded the audience of his involvement in the 1980 liberation movement and urged young people to embrace innovation and resilience.
“This is a continuation of efforts I started in the 1960s to change the mindset of farmers. Many thought wealth was determined by the number of cattle, but I encouraged adopting breeds that suit smaller plots, which has improved living standards,” he said.
Transitioning from cattle to crop farming, the President identified that traditional crops like tea, tobacco, and sugarcane often require extensive land, which is scarce. He introduced the Four-Acre Model, proposing that a farmer could thrive on just four acres: one for cash crops like coffee, one for food crops, another for fruits, and the last for housing or livestock.
The President, who is also the NRM national chairman shared successful examples from various regions, such as coffee cultivation in Greater Masaka, palm oil farming in Kalangala, and citrus farming in Teso, where he promised to establish a new fruit processing facility.
Mr Museveni also highlighted the economic potential of the Four-Acre Model, stating that farmers could earn profits of nearly 60 million shillings annually after expenses.
One of the model farmers, Abigaba Stuart, shared his success story, revealing that his two acres of coffee yielded 21 million shillings over two seasons, enabling him to build a house, buy a motorcycle, and pay for his children’s education.
In response to this testimony, President Museveni encouraged maize farmers to consider transitioning to more profitable crops like coffee. He pledged to provide free coffee seedlings to the farmers through the National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO) and the Ministry of Agriculture.
The President also advised farmers to adopt irrigation practices, rather than relying solely on rainfall, and expressed concern over the misuse of wetlands, advocating for their use as irrigation sources.
The Prime Minister, Rt. Hon Robinah Nabbanja commended President Museveni for always guiding Ugandans on how to fight poverty through different wealth creation initiatives such as commercial agriculture.
“Even me, I started a four-acre model farm, and I will invite you one day and see what we have done,” Rt. Hon. Nabbanja noted. “I also have 6 acres of onions, I get between Shs 300 – Shs 400 million.”
The Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Hon. Matia Kasaija thanked the President for his initiative of preaching wealth creation through commercial agriculture to Ugandans. “We appreciate you so much, Your Excellency,” he said.
The Minister of State for Transport, Hon. Fred Byamukama appreciated President Museveni for the visit and for launching the model which will go a long way in promoting commercial agriculture, thus helping the farmers to create wealth.
“We believe in five years to come, every sub-county will be having more than 100 Model farmers,” he said.
President Museveni concluded the Kakumiro visit by directing the Ministry of Agriculture to assist farmers with artificial insemination, promoting improved livestock breeds. He reiterated the transformative impact of the Four-Acre Model and urged farmers to embrace this approach for sustainable development.
Overview of 4-Acre Model
The 4-acre model initiative was born out of the regional tours undertaken by H.E. the President in May 2019, with the main focus on skills development and capacity building in mainly commercial Agriculture, Manufacturing, ICT and services.
The ultimate objective of the initiative is to identify ways of creating wealth and jobs to foster growth in household income and, the promotion of industrialization as a key driver of growth in the economy.
During the tour, H.E. the President promoted the four-acre model for prosperity, which can support the growing of coffee, fruits, food crops, zero grazing of dairy cattle, poultry, piggery and fish farming. He also pointed out the establishment of industrial parks as central to promoting industrialization.
Accordingly, H.E. the President set up the Nakyobe Fund, which is spearheaded by the State House Comptroller to implement the initiative.
With guidance and support from the Ministry of Local Government, The Local Governments have already provided land for the establishment of Industrial parks in the twenty zones namely; Mengo, Mubende, Masaka, Busoga, Bukedi, Bugisu, Sebei, Teso, Karamoja, Lango, Acholi, Madi, West Nile, Bunyoro, Kasese, Bundibudgyo – Ntoroko, Ankole, Kigezi, Tooro and Kampala. These Industrial parks are managed by the Local Governments that make up each zone.
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