Poverty can be overcome through modern agro-production - President Museveni President Yoweri Museveni has said that it is important for the population to know that it is possible to overcome poverty through modern agro-production, adding that even with a small acreage of four acres, activities like fruit farming, coffee growing, zero grazing poultry, piggery and the growing of matooke can earn a household reasonable income. He however cautioned the population against fragmenting their land on account of backward and poor inheritance methods that has seen land getting more and more fragmented as each generation passes.He said that land fragmentation affects its productivity and advised that families need to grow a culture of sharing the income from the land instead of physically sharing the land. The President was yesterday speaking during the thanksgiving service for the woman Member of Parliament Rosemary Nyakikongoro at Sheema grounds in Kabwohe-Itendero town council. Mrs. Nyakikongoro organized the thanksgiving service to thank God for healing her after being involved in a tragic motor accident early last year. President Museveni expressed optimism that the country was on the right track in defeating house hold poverty since many of the citizens have grasped and adhered to the message of raising household income through modern agriculture and value addition. He noted that although Ugandans had taken long to embrace the message of adopting modern profit oriented agriculture to overcome poverty, there were signs in different parts of the country that a reasonable fraction of the population had woken up to this call. The President assured the people that government does not lack the start-up capital to give to citizens but said that the funds were being mismanaged in some of the government programs such as the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) that has concentrated on conducting seminars and sensitization programs than availing farmers with farm inputs. He said that government was availing more funds through the Micro-finance support centre to benefit SACCOs country wide at a low interest rate without security and wondered why SACCOs were asking for collateral security from citizens before accessing the loans yet the funds were meant for the poor in society who had no security. He promised to investigate the matter. The President who later donated an agriculture tractor to Sheema district said that government was to invest more resources in agro-processing and value addition through small scale industries. On the issue of veterans, the President said he was well aware of the pending pension arrears but said the government had to prioritize her activities and assured them that their payments that are at the tune of one trillion shillings will be paid. He made a cash contribution of 10 million and pledged more 40 million to Sheema Women Development Forum and commissioned the plan for the proposed Sheema women resource centre. On her part Mrs. Nyakikongoro said that it was justifiable for her to thank God after surviving a tragic accident that almost took her life and successfully getting through the hospital. She commended the President for the several programs that he has introduced that target the elevation of the grassroots people especially the recently launched youth livelihood program. She also commended his efforts in overcoming the banana bacteria wilt in the region. Hon. Nyakikongoro appealed to the President to support the elevation of Kabwohe Health centre 4 into a district hospital. She said that together with other members of parliament she consulted all sub-counties in Sheema district and they are all in support of the Kyankwanzi resolution of fielding President Museveni as sole NRM Presidential candidate.
Posted on: Sun, 11 May 2014 18:29:50 +0000