Bukedea — President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has commissioned the Shs71 billion Achomai Irrigation Scheme in Kamutur Sub-county, Bukedea District, with a strong appeal to farmers to embrace irrigation-based rice cultivation on dry land rather than wetlands, in order to protect the environment and increase agricultural productivity.
Speaking at the colourful ceremony attended by local leaders, residents, and government officials, President Museveni hailed the project as a major step toward agricultural modernisation and sustainable water management in the Teso and Bugisu sub-regions.
“I’m very happy to be here to commission this Achomai irrigation scheme,” the President said. “I don’t eat rice myself; I eat cassava and bananas and our indigenous foods, but some of our people eat rice, so it’s good to grow it — but grow it safely, not in the swamp. You should take water from the swamp to the dry land and then irrigate.”
The President cautioned farmers against cultivating rice in wetlands, warning that such practices damage ecosystems and undermine nature’s balance.
“I don’t want rice in the swamp (Osamai). I want it in the Aroo (dry land), and then you irrigate. That is good because you’re now helping God to make rain. You’re creating rain in months when God is not bringing it. That is healthy and very good,” he emphasised.
Irrigation as a Tool for Productivity and Flood Control
President Museveni noted that irrigation not only boosts yields but also mitigates the effects of floods through effective water capture and management systems.
“When you irrigate, you produce more per hectare, but you also tame floods and stop water from destroying everything. When you make a dam, you capture water and retain it, and then you can use it by pumping when you need it,” he explained.
He said the Achomai Irrigation Scheme reflects the government’s long-term vision of transforming subsistence farming into commercial agriculture by increasing productivity per acre through technology and infrastructure. “The result of all this is increased production from the same land — but you harvest more,” the President added.
Speaker Among: ‘A Dream Turned into Reality’
Speaker of Parliament and Bukedea Woman MP, Rt. Hon. Anita Annet Among, thanked President Museveni for fulfilling his development promise to the people of Bukedea.
“These people are excited to see you, Your Excellency. Before you brought this dam here, I used to think it was a myth. Now I’m seeing it in reality,” she said. “This place used to flood, but now we have a fully-fledged irrigation scheme serving nine villages — seven from Bukedea and two from Bulambuli. I also thank you for working on the road that connects us to Bulambuli. These are the gains we are protecting.”
Among, who launched the project’s construction on December 18, 2021, commended the contractor Dott Services Limited for high-quality work.
“They’ve done a very good job. You’ve commissioned the Achomai Irrigation Scheme and the breeding centre in the next village. As the people of Bukedea, we thank you,” she said, describing the President’s visit as a “public holiday” for the district.
Project Impact and Technical Details
Engineer Athanasius Ssebugwawo, the Contract Manager for the scheme, said the project was implemented under the Agricultural Value Chain Development Programme (AVCP) — a government initiative supported by the African Development Bank (AfDB). The program aims to improve access to water for agriculture, enhance productivity, and strengthen post-harvest value chains.
“Before this project, Achomai and the surrounding areas experienced extreme droughts in the dry season and severe floods in the rainy season. It was either too dry or too wet — and the area was hardly inhabitable,” Eng. Ssebugwawo explained. “Now, people can grow crops throughout the year. Livelihoods have improved, and the problem of floods is history.”
He revealed that over 1,800 acres were cultivated and harvested in the last season, with plans to expand to 2,000 acres in the next planting cycle. “People now have the freedom to grow a variety of crops,” he said.
The Achomai Irrigation Scheme covers approximately 2,200 hectares across Achomai Village, Kamutur Sub-county in Bukedea District, and extends into Bulambuli District. The project includes an administration block, two drying yards, a warehouse, workshop, bridge, and 58 kilometres of access roads.
The Shs71 billion (US$19.9 million) investment was jointly funded by the Government of Uganda and the African Development Bank, forming part of Uganda’s national effort to strengthen the agricultural value chain — from production to processing and market access.
Museveni’s Vision for Modern Agriculture
The commissioning of the Achomai Irrigation Scheme comes as President Museveni concludes his campaign tour in the Teso Sub-region and begins rallies in the Bugisu Sub-region ahead of the 2026 general elections, where he is the NRM Presidential flagbearer.
Throughout the tour, the President has consistently emphasised irrigation, mechanisation, and value addition as pillars of his plan to transition Uganda from a peasant-based to a modern, middle-income economy.