By Conan Businge

THE Vice-President, Prof. Gilbert Bukenya, has asked Ugandans to support President Yoweri Museveni in the 2011 general elections. He said the country can still benefit from Museveni’s leadership and innovation skills.

Bukenya, who is also the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party vice-chairman in central Uganda, made the remarks during an assessment of the ‘Prosperity- For-All’ projects in western Uganda.

His remarks come a month away from the NRM delegates’ conference in which the next flag-bearer will be voted.

Bukenya advised farmers in Mbarara and Ntungamo districts to start growing grapes, saying the fruit fetches high returns. He explained that an acre of grapes fetches up to sh42m.

He said he was overwhelmed by the high returns associated with grape farming and asked the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) to promote the activity as one of the enterprises for farmers.

Bukenya explained that a farmer who grows bananas and grapes, and also deals in dairy farming or poultry keeping is capable of earning up to sh60m annually. He said this would supersede the Government’s household target of sh20m annually.

Bukenya toured a grapevine in Katojo parish, Mbarara district, belonging to Stanslace Kamanyiro.

Kamanyiro, the head of the Uganda Grape Growers Association, told Bukenya that although there is high demand for wine in the export market, the association, which has over 6,000 members, does not have a modern winery.

Kamanyiro added that the association brings together grape farmers from Mbarara, Ntungamo, Isingiro, Ibanda, Kanungu, Rukungiri, Kisoro and Kabale districts.

Bukenya promised to help the farmers get a winery, electricity and training in modern skills of wine production.

He was also impressed by the development in Mbarara, which he attributed to good leadership.