Workers should be advised to utilise land for side job-income

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OPINION

By Justus Kamuhanda

I have heard a discussion and country outcry over poverty, corruption by majority of workers particularly low and middle employees within different organization both in MDAs and private sectors and noting that  Workers' salaries in Uganda are largely insufficient for driving development due to stagnant minimum wages (unrevised since 1984/2017) failing to keep pace with high living costs which is leading to high poverty, reduced productivity, brain drain, and corruption as well as lack of social protection.

This has prompted me to give my opinion that workers’ leaders should increasingly encourage workers to take up farming as a side job, or "side hustle," to supplement their incomes, ensure food security, and prepare for life after formal employment. This initiative will heavily promote a strategy to combat poverty and increase wealth among the working class, particularly by leveraging Uganda's fertile land.

These are my key Reasons for Advising Workers for Side-Job Farming:

• Income Diversification: A side income from farming provides a safety net in case of job loss and increases overall financial stability.
• Wealth Creation: It is viewed as a "money economy" activity, allowing individuals to transform small, unused plots of land into profitable ventures.
• Addressing the High Cost of Living: Growing food at home reduces household spending, providing food security.
• Preparation for Retirement: It serves as a long-term investment for a time when employment income may cease.
• Leveraging Available Land: Government advice, including from President Museveni, emphasises utilising the arable land of Uganda for high-value agriculture rather than leaving it idle. 

Recommended Farming Activities for Employees:

• High-Yield/Fast-Return Crops: Planting crops that can be harvested regularly, such as matooke, fruits, or coffee.
• Intensive Small-Scale Farming: Utilising even small, backyard plots for poultry, piggery, or intensive, high-value crop production.
• Agribusiness & Value Addition: Shifting from subsistence to commercial farming, which includes processing and packaging products for better market value. 

The Ugandan government is supporting this, especially through the Parish Development Model (launched in 2022), which aims to transition subsistence farmers into the money economy. Other initiatives include: 

• NAADS and Operation Wealth Creation: Programs focused on distributing inputs like seeds and seedlings.
• Agricultural Credit Facility: Providing affordable loans for farm machinery and equipment.
• Agricultural Insurance Subsidy: The government subsidises up to 50% of premiums for smallholder farmers to mitigate risks from natural disasters. 

Am reliably informed that Trade unions are primarily established to advocate for workers' rights, playing a critical role in protecting interests, improving working conditions, and securing better wages. While they do spend a significant amount of time on these advocacy efforts, their roles also include negotiating with employers, providing legal advice, and supporting members during crises.

However, their vision should expand from only to create a just, equitable, and democratic society where workers enjoy dignity, fair wages, safety, and secured rights to economic empowerment. They should strive for a sustainable economy with decent jobs and farming for side income, promoting solidarity among workers to influence policy, improve living conditions, and ensure a voice in both the workplace and broader society and this can be achieved if one has financial freedom

The labour movement drives trade unions to collectively represent workers' economic and political interests. This cannot primarily only be aiming at securing higher wages, improved working conditions, and fair treatment through collective bargaining and, when necessary, strike action, but considering all avenues of income-generating.

The land is one of the four factors of production such as Land, along with labour, capital, and Entrepreneurship. If workers are mobilised and equipped with the knowledge of entrepreneurship, then they would have all other factors of production to utilise land for their economic empowerment. The workers have labour, Capital/salary, so they can turn land into money in the economy.

Land has a broad definition as a factor of production and can take on various forms, from agricultural land to commercial real estate to the resources available from a particular piece of land.

Labour refers to the effort expended by an individual to bring a product or service to the market. It can take on various forms depending on the type of business in which it is used.

In economics, capital typically refers to money. However, money is not considered part of the capital factor of production because it is not directly involved in producing goods or services.

Entrepreneurship is the secret sauce that combines all the other factors of production into a product or service for the consumer market.

I therefor opine that if the workers’ leaders mobile and equip fellow workers with appropriate knowledge to utilize land into production, millions of workers may not only economically empower themselves but also stimulate our national economic development.

The writer is an Advocate with NAA, National Publicity NRM Workers League & Chairman District Land Board Mbarara