During his visit to Kigezi, President Yoweri Museveni passionately told locals that agriculture is the true medicine for poverty, urging them to embrace modern farming as a pathway to financial independence.
Addressing farmers and community leaders, Museveni emphasized that subsistence agriculture must be abandoned in favour of commercial farming to uplift families out of economic hardship.
Museveni’s speech comes as Uganda continues to struggle with rural poverty, despite having fertile soils and a favourable climate for farming.
He criticized the tendency of small-scale farmers to produce only for survival, arguing that without commercialization, rural families will remain trapped in cycles of poverty.
“You cannot remain poor if you take farming seriously. Agriculture is the medicine for poverty. You have the land, the climate, and the knowledge, what is stopping you?” Museveni asked the crowd.
He further urged youth to abandon urban job hunting, emphasizing that self-sufficiency in farming is more reliable than relying on unpredictable employment opportunities.
Kigezi, a region known for its hilly terrain, presents unique agricultural challenges. Despite its fertile lands, farmers struggle with land fragmentation, limited access to modern farming techniques, and poor market access.
Opposition argues that without infrastructure development and government support, mere words won’t change the region’s economic reality.
“Farming is not just about working hard, it’s about working smart. If the government wants farmers to shift to commercial agriculture, they must provide financial incentives, better roads, and market access,” said a local farmer in Kabale.
The President reaffirmed his commitment to empowering farmers through government initiatives like NAADS (National Agricultural Advisory Services, emyooga and Parish Development Model (PDM)
However, some economists and opposition voices argue that past agricultural policies have failed to deliver tangible change, blaming corruption and poor implementation.
Uganda’s agricultural sector holds enormous potential, but unlocking it will require more than just speeches.
