By Ronald Kalyango

Wilson Mugimba is a successful farmer-turned politician in the Bunyoro region. He has not just adapted to the recommended farming practices to survive, but rather to excel.

It was not just the way he welcomed us and the exemplary farm that attracts you to Mugimba’s farm.

Everything else about Mugimba’s agricultural practices speaks of a farmer who is interested in what he is doing.

How he started
Mugimba says his interest in agriculture stretches back to the 1990s when he had just settled in the area.

He started with several agricultural products for home consumption until 2008, when he ventured into poultry production for income-generation.

“I had no income-generating crop. I sought advice from colleagues who encouraged me to try out poultry keeping,” he narrates.

Mugimba’s poultry units are stocked with layers and it is through poultry keeping that he has become a respected personality in the district. His poultry enterprise in Miirya sub-county has become an attraction to all visitors in the district.

Mugimba keeps about 1,500 layers and his target is 10,000 birds in the next four years.

Mugimba picks about 20 trays of eggs daily. He plans to stock at least 800 more layers by July and expects to pick at least 30 trays per day. 

“I used to keep between 300 to 400 birds but nowadays, with improved methods, I have been able to increase the number and the rewards are evident,” he says.

Mugimba says from 1,000 layers,  a farmer would make a net profit of at least sh1m per month.

Mugimba’s political ambitions have in no way swayed him away from agriculture. He owns 27 acres of land on which he also grows different crops, notable among them cassava, coffee, bananas, and pine trees.

In 2008, Mugimba was given 1,000 banana suckers by the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) programme.

Today he is enjoying the fruits of his hard work.

In the same year, Mugimba received 750 chicks from NAADS, 20 bags of cement for a poultry house, 60 iron sheets, six pieces of wiremesh, 3,000 bricks and 1,000 banana suckers.

Mugimba is already paying back to NAADS the required 70% ratio.

“The President talks about a target of sh20m as annual income for households through agricultural produce but I think I have surpassed that target,” he boasts.

Mixed farming pays off

Mugimba owns a coffee plantation and has pruned all the old coffee trees to allow young trees to sprout.

He was also allocated 25 hectares of land in the National Forestry Authority reserve. Mugimba has so far planted pine trees on five acres.

He now looks forward to filling up the remaining 20 hectares. About his farm activities and the ever demanding political job he holds, Mugimba is confident he will be able to balance the demands of each office.

“I am a manager by profession. I plan to employ able personnel to take care of my farm. I have a lot of work but this will not deter me from taking good care of my farm,” he says.

Farmer turned politician

A father of six, Mugimba’s political journey started in 1996, when he was elected councillor to represent Miirya sub-county at the district executive. He kept the position until February 2011.

As district chairperson, Mugimba monitors the programme with other district officials. He notes that with hard work, Masindi will soon become one of the model districts in the programme’s implementation process.

According to Safina Balyekanasa, the district NAADS coordinator, the district is in its fifth year of NAADS implementation.

Over the years, the programme has rolled out to eight sub-counties and one town council. All farmer institutions have been substantively established and empowered to carry out their roles and are fully functional.

She says the agricultural extension workers have continued to provide advisory services to farmers for all enterprises supported by the NAADS programme.  She notes that the major enterprises being promoted include rice, horticulture, mangoes and pineapples to a mention.

However, Balyekanasa says they have noted that there is limited linkage between technology development and offering advisory services in the district.

“Dissemination of guidelines has been done. The stakeholders at different levels have been involved in NAADS activities implementation and monitoring,” she explains.