Farmers tell Museveni his 4-acre model project is a ‘sham’

Museveni kicks off wealth creation tours

Mr Steven Kitata, a resident of Kajubiro Village in Kifamba Sub-county, Gomba District, told Mr Museveni during the audit of the four-acre model that the project had not benefited the poor as the implementers were bragging.
“Mr President, I can assure you that whatever they are telling you are lies, this project has not benefited the poor,” he said amidst ululations from some locals who had attended the event.

Mr Museveni had summoned the government’s top organs, including all members of the Cabinet led by Vice President (Rtd) Maj Jessica Alupo, the House’s top brass led by Speaker Anita Among and her deputy, Mr Thomas Tayebwa, the Judiciary led by Deputy Chief Justice Richard Buteera, to show them how his four-acre model initiative had created impact on lives of the poor in Sembabule and Gomba districts.

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The four-acre model of farming is an initiative by Mr Museveni whose objective is to end food insecurity, promote livelihood, mindset change, as well as utilisation of land for massive production and it is highly promoted during the implementation of the Parish Development Model (PDM). 
The President on Friday, during the event which he actively moderated and was punctuated with testimonies from farmers he had helped, said his government wants to eliminate once and for all poverty in all homes of Ugandans.

“Under the four-acre model, we showed these people that you can plant different crops and as well as practise dairy farming on a small piece of land, we gave them assistance through seedlings and animals which have transformed their lives,” he said.
A host of farmers, including those dealing in coffee, cattle and fruits, testified to how they have been transformed from abject poverty to wealth through this programme. Among them was one Moses Ninsima who said he is making profits amounting to Shs400m per year  from keeping cattle.

Mr Justine Nyamwiza, another beneficiary from Kanda Sub-county, informed the President that he sells milk worth Shs7m per year and coffee amounting to Shs22m per year, courtesy of this initiative.
About 20 beneficiaries gave testimonies of benefiting from the initiative, declaring themselves now “rich people’’.
Before coming to the event, top government technocrats led by Ms Alupo visited two of the farmers in their homes to physically assess the impact of the initiative. 

The first home to be visited is located in Lutunku (A) Village in Sembabule. The beneficiary, Ms Saidat Nakaweesi, told officials that she makes Shs36m annually from coffee grown on five acres. She joined the initiative in 2011.
The second site visit was at the farm of Pastor Samuel Lubega in Luntuku (B) Village in the same locality. Pastor Lubega said he was transformed from a drunkard to a farmer earning Shs36m annually from coffee grown on 4.5 acres, selling milk and bananas.

Hoodwinked?
Speaking at the event, Ms Sarah Nalwanga, the project manager of Four-Acre Model Farm, said 4,800 households had benefited from the initiative. These she said had been given more than 500 heads of cattle, coffee seedlings,  among others.
But when Mr Museveni asked those who didn’t benefit from the project, a big number, including Mr Kitata, rose up and said it was not working as it had been depicted. 
Mr Museveni tasked Ms Nalwanga to explain. She said the “man was one of the detractors of the programme” and that he was also new in the village.

 Locals at the event, however, opposed the allegations in a loud voice.
Speaking to Monitor after the event, Mr Kitata said the project had benefited a few people.
“They choose their own and already rich people, leaving us the vulnerable poor aside,” he said.
Other disgruntled locals also said the President had been hoodwinked.