President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has launched the second phase of the Four-Acre Model campaign in the Bunyoro sub-region, with a renewed call to Ugandan households to embrace commercial farming as a sure path out of poverty.
The launch took place at Nalweyo Playground in Kakumiro District. The campaign covers the districts of Masindi, Kiryadongo, Hoima and Buliisa.
The first phase of the Four-Acre Model in Bunyoro was launched in November 2024, covering the districts of Kakumiro, Kagadi, Kibaale, and Kikuube.
The campaign, led by President Museveni and Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja, focuses on mobilising farmers to diversify their land for various agricultural activities and promoting the division of land into four main sections for coffee, fruits, food crops, and pasture for livestock.
Earlier, President Museveni met with the beneficiaries of the first phase of the Four-Acre Model at the home of Hon. Fred Byamukama, the State Minister for Transport.
He later toured the farm of model farmers, Mr and Mrs Robert Balikagira, in Kihauguzi village, Kakumiro District, before proceeding to address the rally.
Speaking at the event, the President reminded farmers that the Four-Acre Model is not a new idea, but a vision he first introduced in the 1996 NRM Manifesto.
He said the model is designed to guide smallholder farmers on how to earn sustainably from limited land.
“If you have only two acres and grow cotton or tobacco, you’ll remain poor. But if you plan well with ekibalo (calculation), you can generate serious income,” President Museveni explained.
He outlined the ideal land use plan: one acre for coffee, one for fruits such as mangoes and pineapples, one for pasture to support dairy cows, and one for food crops to ensure food security. Backyard farming, he added, can supplement income through poultry, piggery (for non-Muslims), and fish farming.
“Fish farming, for instance, can bring in up to Shs80 million a year from one acre of ponds,” the President revealed, urging farmers to adopt diversified, high-yield agriculture.
President Museveni also highlighted success stories inspired by the Four-Acre Model.
Among them was Mr Joseph Ijala from Serere District, who turned two acres into a poultry farm with 1,000 chickens, earning Shs3 million monthly from eggs. Today, Ijala earns more than Shs1 billion a year from poultry and dairy.
He also cited Hon. Byamukama, who makes over Shs55 million a month from poultry farming alone, and Mr Richard Nyakana, a farmer in Kabarole who employs 15 people on a single acre of land.
“These examples show you what is possible. Please listen carefully to the NRM message. Plan number one is commercial agriculture. From there, we go to manufacturing and then services, and others. These are the pillars that will transform Uganda,” the President emphasised.
The President also reminded the people of Bunyoro of the wider benefits brought by the NRM government, including peace and improved infrastructure.
“Today, we have tarmacked roads, and with peace restored, it is now possible for farmers to work and transport their produce profitably,” he said.
Beneficiary Speaks out:
In a press interview, Mr Balikagira proudly shared how he transitioned from subsistence farming to commercial agriculture after embracing the model.
“I started with just coffee seedlings from the government. In my first season, I earned Shs8 million, then Shs12 million, and last year a total of Shs18 million from coffee alone,” he said.
With his earnings, Mr Balikagira diversified into bananas, poultry, goats, pineapples, and dairy farming.
“I now sell up to Shs800,000 worth of bananas every month, goats at Shs200,000 to Shs400,000 each, and milk at Shs1,400 per litre. From poultry, I sell both eggs and broilers,” he explained.
The farmer, who once struggled to provide for his family, is now a proud homeowner and able to send his children to school.
“I thank the government for this initiative. I started with nothing, but today I am a model farmer,” he added.
The event was also attended by the Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. Robinah Nabbanja, cabinet ministers, Members of Parliament, cultural and religious leaders, among others.