Farmers urged to avoid politicising wealth creation gospel

Michael Kazibwe, a model farmer in Jinja district has urged farmers in the Busoga region to avoid politicising wealth creation messages, particularly those from President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.

Kazibwe urged farmers to prioritise mindset change and take actionable steps to transform their lives through agriculture.

“There is no yellow money, red money, or blue money,” he said.

“If someone gives you an idea that improves your economy, take it, no matter who is telling you. Politicising everything won’t put food on your table. For instance, when His Excellency advises us to use our land profitably, he is helping us. He won’t come from the State House to eat our food. It’s up to us to act on these messages for our benefit,” he added.

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni with the guidance of Kazibwe Michael, a PDM model farmer admires the cow project at Kazibwe Family Mixed Farm in Namazala LC 1 Village, Busede sub-county, Butembe County, Jinja District.

The former teacher made the remarks during the President’s visit at his home in Namazala Village, Busede sub-county, Jinja district on January 22, 2025.

This visit is part of President Museveni’s four-day wealth creation and PDM performance assessment tour in Busoga which commenced on the same day.

Kazibwe stressed the importance of mindset change, particularly among the youth, highlighting that land and capital, no matter how little, can lead to prosperity if used wisely.

The farmer owns Kazibwe Family Mixed Farm, which has coffee, cocoa, pigs, a banana plantation, cows and other agricultural ventures.

Transforming land into wealth:

Kazibwe inherited 4.5 acres from his father in 1971 and began his farming journey in 1988 after completing his studies at the National Teachers College, Kaliro.

Initially a sugarcane farmer, he soon realised the economic challenges of the crop.

“The turning point came in 2013 when NAADS supported me with shillings 700,000. I added shillings 300,000 and purchased an exotic calf. That calf revolutionised our dairy farming,” he recalled.

From that single exotic calf, Kazibwe now has 22 dairy cows, five of which produce 80 litres of milk daily. This earns him shillings 96,000 per day, translating to shillings 2.2 million monthly. After expenses, his net annual income from dairy is shs18 million.

“The COVID-19 pandemic and President Museveni’s four-acre model message further motivated me to diversify,” he said.

“Sugarcane prices fell during the pandemic, and I realised it wasn’t sustainable. The President’s advice to transition to high-value crops like cocoa resonated with me,” he said.

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni admires the Piggery project for Kazibwe Michael, a PDM model farmer at Kazibwe Family Mixed Farm in Namazala LC 1 Village, Busede sub-county, Butembe County, Jinja District.

In 2020, Kazibwe spent shillings 3.9 million to replace sugarcane with cocoa. Today, he cultivates 2.4 acres of cocoa with 1,080 plants.

“Last year, we harvested 1,227 kilogrammes of cocoa, earning shillings 26 million. After expenses, our net income was shillings 22 million. This success encouraged us to expand our cocoa garden further,” he shared.

Kazibwe has also integrated other crops like bananas and coffee.

With the support of his wife, Prossy Kazibwe, and six of their seven children, Kazibwe has built a thriving farm enterprise.

He said his family members have actively managed the farm, and his success has inspired neighbours to adopt the four-acre model.

“In my entire enterprise, I earn shillings 74 million annually and have acquired 15 more acres of land. My neighbours have started dairy farming, and many are doing well. Sharing knowledge has been a fulfilling experience,” he said.

Kazibwe noted that he is also exploring value addition by producing cocoa wine, sugarless chocolate and charcoal briquettes from cocoa husks.

He also makes liquid soap from cow dung as part of his dairy operations.

He collaborates with other farmers to improve milk production and plans to add value by sourcing milk coolers, aligning with First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports Maama Janet Museveni’s push for increased milk consumption among children.

“Farmers with small landholdings should embrace the Four-Acre Model. For example, with silage, you can earn shillings 900,000 per month from just 10 litres of milk per day. This is far better than sugarcane farming, which is labour-intensive and less profitable,” he noted.

Busoga residents commended

President Museveni commended the people of Busoga for their growing efforts in wealth creation and transitioning out of poverty.

The President expressed optimism about the region's potential and highlighted the importance of resource utilisation and strategic planning.

President Museveni visits Kazibwe's farm during the PDM Presidential Zonal Tour for Busoga sub-region.

“I'm very happy to be here. I can see Basoga getting out of poverty,” he said.

“At the time of independence in 1962, only 19% of Ugandans were in the money economy, leaving 81% outside it. The challenge then was underdevelopment and underutilization of resources.”

He noted that while the Basoga are hardworking and have historically participated in the money economy through crops like cotton and sugarcane, they often lacked “ekibalo” (proper planning and calculation) to maximize profits.

“For example, if you grow sugarcane on a small piece of land, you won’t earn much. But when you use your resources well, like Kazibwe and his children who are applying their knowledge and degrees on the farm, you can achieve a lot,” he noted.

On the other hand, the President also urged farmers to align their agricultural activities with global market demands.

“You need to check the demand for crops like cocoa and vanilla on the global market. That’s why coffee remains powerful—it has a stable international demand of 118 million bags annually.”

He also encouraged diversification into activities like fruit farming, dairy production, and poultry, which were part of the government’s 1986 advice on wealth creation.

The President pledged additional government support to farmers like Kazibwe, who have embraced modern farming methods.

“I am happy to see Kazibwe and his family progressing. To support their efforts, we will provide a Fuso truck, a silage cutter, and other resources,” he announced.

President Museveni highlighted the innovative use of cow dung on Kazibwe’s farm, which is used for fertiliser and other by-products.

He noted that such practices not only improve productivity but also contribute to sustainable farming.

The event was also attended by First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for East African Community Affairs Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga, 3rd Deputy Prime Minister Rukia Nakadama, Government Chief Whip Denis Hamson Obua, Minister for the Presidency Babirye Milly Babalanda, investment and privatisation state minister Evelyn Anite and State House comptroller Jane Barekye, among other dignitaries.