By Edgar Barigye Kugonza
The Danish Embassy’s incredible effort to take our farmers on familiarization tours annually has always reminded me of my own transformative experience – a 14-day familiarization tour of our ancestral homeland in Ankole Region, led by my late mother Oweishemwe, Mrs. Aidah Kugonza aka Kayaaga in 1995 and challenged me to take action too.
In 1995, my late mother, Mrs. Aidah Kugonza (Oweishemwe), embarked on a remarkable journey with me, a 14-day familiarization tour of our ancestral homeland. With her hard-earned savings from her small business, she wanted to share her roots with me before it was too late. Little did I know that this trip would not only connect me with distant relatives but also expose me to innovative farming methods and unique ways of life.
Our journey began in Ibanda District and then wound its way through Bushenyi, Kitagata Ky’Omugabe, where my late maternal grandfather, Yefesi Kanengyere, spent his youthful years taking care of it under the instructions of Omugabe w’Ankole. His relatives are still living in the footsteps of Muhito Hill. From there; we explored Ntungamo District, marvelling at the breathtaking natural wonders, including the iconic Kabale Katengatenga, the “bouncing stone.” This tour was more than a family reunion; it was an educational odyssey.
As we traversed the rolling hills and flourishing landscapes of Ankole Region, I witnessed farming practices that left a permanent mark on my mind. The people of Bushenyi, in particular, had perfected a modern farming system that showcased efficiency, innovation, and environmental stewardship. Every homestead seemed to have mastered the art of optimizing land use, cultivating a thriving ecosystem that supported livelihoods and protected the environment.
The typical Bushenyi homestead boasted a banana plantation, providing food and income, a farm cultivating various crops, a small forest supplying firewood and poles, and a well-maintained home reflecting pride and prosperity. What struck me most was the closed-loop farming system, where banana peels were reserved to feed cows, cows provided milk and cow dung, cow dung was converted into biogas for cooking, reducing reliance on firewood, and the remaining cow dung was applied as organic fertilizer in banana plantations.
This remarkable model demonstrated efficient land use and resource management, integration of livestock and crop farming, environmental conservation through sustainable forestry, and innovative waste management and energy production.
The story of my mother’s familiarization tour connects well with the Danish Embassy’s effort to take our farmers on similar tours. These tours are crucial to our farmers and our country at large as they create a lasting impact on agricultural development. By exposing farmers to innovative practices, we can enhance productivity, sustainability, and community resilience.
This Danish Embassy’s annual initiative of taking abalimi abasinga to modern farming familiarization tour which in collaboration with the New Vision, is a shining example of international cooperation and commitment to Uganda’s development. Therefore in my opinion, this generous effort deserves recognition from our parliament as a token of appreciation while encouraging other embassies to replicate such innovative programs in various sectors of our economy. So, to those fortunate enough to participate in the farming tour, ‘Bamanye nti nno Tubabanja‘.
I urge them to recognize the immense responsibility that comes with this opportunity. We expect them to return equipped with cutting-edge farming skills, ready to champion a transformative agricultural revolution. This entails adopting and implementing innovative practices, sharing expertise with fellow farmers, boosting crop yields, enhancing livelihoods, promoting sustainable agriculture and environmental conservation, developing business plans, establishing demonstration farms, and collaborating with research institutions.
By doing so, they will not only elevate their own prosperity but also contribute meaningfully to Uganda’s agricultural transformation, driving widespread prosperity, sustainability, and community development.
As I reflect on my late mother’s familiarization tour and compare notes with what is happening in life now, I realize that my mother’s vision was not only to connect me with our heritage but also to instill in me an appreciation for the resourcefulness and resilience of our people. Locally, Ankole Region’s modern farming practices serve as a beacon of inspiration for Western Uganda and beyond, showcasing the potential for agriculture to drive prosperity, sustainability, and community development. I will try to find out whether this innovation is part of the gospel of modernization President Museveni preached to Banyankore farmers in 1960s.
On my side, I have drawn inspiration from President Museveni’s innovative 4-Acre Model System, which has been further enriched by the knowledge I gained from my late mother’s familiarization tour. This expertise has been refined by Omulimi Asinga on Bukedde TV and Bukedde Newspaper. With this comprehensive understanding, I am preparing the Pamoja Communal Empowerment Network team that is set to launch a massive awareness campaign promoting President Museveni’s 4-Acre Model farming initiative. Our mindset change program aligns with President Museveni’s vision for poverty eradication through this transformative farming practice. We will soon announce the region where we’ll begin implementing this initiative and the rationale behind our selection.
For those of you who have not yet known this method of farming, President Museveni’s 4-acre model farm initiative promotes agricultural prosperity and eradicates household poverty through strategic land utilization. The model advocates for farmers to allocate their four acres for coffee plantation, fruit farming, pasture for zero-grazing, and food crop production.
Specifically, this entails dedicating one acre to coffee, another to fruits like mangoes, pineapples, and passion fruits, the third acre for cattle feeding through zero-grazing, and the final acre for growing food crops like maize, beans, and groundnuts. President Museveni says that by embracing this holistic approach, farmers can generate significant income, estimated at up to 100 million shillings from a four-acre plot, boost their economic livelihoods, and contribute to Uganda’s agricultural transformation.
Conclusively, Africa, and particularly my beloved Uganda, needs not to be reminded over and over that agriculture is the backbone of her economy, and therefore strengthening it is crucial to combating poverty, malnutrition, unemployment, political instability, and disease.
This is why I am urging our parliament to consider passing a motion of appreciation for the Danish Embassy’s unwavering support of our agricultural sector. Their peaceful and patriotic contributions have significantly impacted our country, and it’s time we acknowledge their dedication to promoting a green, sustainable, and inclusive economic transformation in Uganda, aligning with President Museveni’s vision for poverty eradication through initiatives like the 4-acre Model farming practice.
By recognizing the Danish Embassy’s efforts, we are not only expressing gratitude but also encouraging continued collaboration to drive Uganda’s agricultural growth and overall development.
The writer is CEO Pamoja Communal Empowerment Network / [email protected]
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