Don’t Politicise Wealth Creation, Jinja Model Agriculturalist Urges Farmers

Michael Kazibwe, a model farmer in Jinja District, has called upon farmers in the Busoga Sub-region to avoid politicising wealth creation messages, particularly those from President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.

Kazibwe urged farmers to prioritise mind-set change and take actionable steps to transform their lives through agriculture.

“There is no yellow money, red money, or blue money,” he said.

“If someone gives you an idea that improves your economy, take it, no matter who is telling you. Politicising everything won’t put food on your table. For instance, when His Excellency advises us to use our land profitably, he is helping us. He won’t come from the State House to eat our food. It’s up to us to act on these messages for our own benefit,” he added.

The former teacher made the remarks during the President’s visit at his home in Namazala Village, Busede Sub-county, Jinja District.

This visit is part of President Museveni’s 4-day wealth creation and PDM performance assessment tour in Busoga sub-region which commenced today.

Kazibwe stressed the importance of mind-set change, particularly among the youth, highlighting that land and capital, no matter how little, can lead to prosperity if used wisely.

The farmer owns Kazibwe Family Mixed Farm, which includes coffee, cocoa, pigs, a banana plantation, cows and other agricultural ventures.

Transforming Land into Wealth

Kazibwe inherited 4.5 acres of land from his father in 1971 and began farming in 1988 after completing his studies at the National Teachers College, Kaliro. Initially a sugarcane farmer, he soon realised the crop’s economic challenges.

“The turning point came in 2013 when NAADS supported me with Shs 700,000. I added Shs 300,000 and purchased an exotic calf. That calf revolutionized our dairy farming,” he recalled.

From that single exotic calf, Kazibwe now has 22 dairy cows, five of which produce 80 litres of milk daily. This earns him Shs96,000 per day, translating to Shs 2.2 million monthly. After expenses, his net annual income from dairy is shs18 million.

“The COVID-19 pandemic and President Museveni’s Four-Acre Model message further motivated me to diversify,” he said.

“Sugarcane prices fell during the pandemic, and I realised it wasn’t sustainable. The President’s advice to transition to high-value crops like cocoa resonated with me,” he said.

In 2020, Kazibwe spent Shs3.9 million to replace sugarcane with cocoa. Today, he cultivates 2.4 acres of cocoa with 1,080 plants.

“Last year, we harvested 1,227 kilograms of cocoa, earning Shs 26 million. After expenses, our net income was Shs 22 million. This success encouraged us to expand our cocoa garden further,” he shared.

Kazibwe has also integrated other crops like bananas and coffee. 

With the support of his wife, Mrs Prossy Kazibwe, and six of their seven children, Kazibwe has built a thriving farm enterprise.

He said that his family members have actively managed the farm, and his success has inspired neighbours to adopt the Four-Acre Model.

“In my entire enterprise, I earn Shs 74 million annually and have acquired 15 more acres of land. My neighbours have started dairy farming, and many are doing well. Sharing knowledge has been a fulfilling experience,” he said.

Kazibwe noted that he is also exploring value addition by producing cocoa wine, sugarless chocolate, and charcoal briquettes from cocoa husks. He also makes liquid soap from cow dung as part of his dairy operations.

He collaborates with other farmers to improve milk production and plans to add value by sourcing milk coolers, aligning with First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Maama Janet Museveni’s push for increased milk consumption among children.

“Farmers with small landholdings should embrace the Four-Acre Model. For example, with silage, you can earn Shs900,000 per month from just 10 litres of milk per day. This is far better than sugarcane farming, which is labour-intensive and less profitable,” he noted.