The minister highlighted that the cabinet recognizes and supports the role played by the Jinja Agriculture Show and UNFFE, and it encourages more support from the Government.
He reechoed the guidance provided by the top leadership. He indicated that Parish Development Model (PDM) also targets those affected by land fragmentation through power inheritance. He advised those involved in PDM to engage in agriculture, such as dairy, poultry, piggery, and low-value enterprises for raw materials and products in strategic demand, such as cotton for clothing and soybeans for oil.
He added that the government has introduced six interventions to assist all categories of farmers and these included;
Intervention (I): Provision of quality seeds. Produce foundation or stock/parent seeds and provide them to multipliers, regulating their production.
Intervention (II): Control of pests, diseases, and vectors, as the population cannot take the lead in this area.
Intervention (III): Farmer mobilization, which has been identified as one of the six government priorities. In August 2023, the government launched a nationwide mobilization program called “Kuzukusa.” It began in Mityana, followed by Kiboga, Luwero, and Busoga. The minister has called on UNFFE to participate.
The minister also emphasized that the current ratio of extension workers to laborers is unrealistic. He called on all categories of leaders to inspire people to take immediate action for the development of their areas. He also urged extension workers to utilize radios.
Intervention (IV): Mobilizing large-scale farmers to produce feed for smallholder farmers.
Intervention (V): Mechanization, where the government has started establishing mechanization centers in every sub-region. For instance, in Lango, Busoga, Mpigi, Kilyandogo, etc., to bring technology closer to the people, including irrigation and value addition. The government will also provide training to operators and technicians in these sub-regions.
Intervention (VI): Special interventions to promote and support the fisheries sub-sector. This includes supporting locally made fish feeds and helping farmers set up fish ponds.
