Museveni warns against land fragmentation

By Vision Reporter

PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni has warned that the continued fragmentation of land in Uganda, a country whose economic backbone is agriculture with over 80% of the population employed in the sector, will hurt the national economy and increase poverty in the country.

Mr. Museveni made the remarks while officiating at the pass out of more than 3,500 cadres from Iganga district who completed a three week cadreship and leadership course.

The Pass out ceremony took place at Namungalwe Trading Centre, Namungalwe Sub-County, Kigulu North Constituency in Iganga district. 

He told the people of Iganga that the country risked being led into a lot of poverty if the population doesn’t stop fragmenting agricultural land hence affecting its production potential. 

He said that with the increasing population, land may be fragmented to an unbearable level leaving the population with no land for production resulting in food shortage and famine as well as abject poverty.

He advised parents against traditional inheritance methods where children shared their parents’ land and said that children should share what comes out land rather than practically parceling up the land.

The President used the occasion to announce that government has budgeted for the rehabilitation of Iganga-Kaliro road and said that works on the road will start next financial year.

Later, the President addressed a public rally at Najenit Primary School in Kasodo Sub-County, Pallisa district in his new wealth creation campaign.

He told the people of Pallisa that poverty in Uganda and the African continent is largely caused by ignorance since the population has failed to shift from traditional agriculture to modern agriculture as the modern era has new demands that are incompatible with the traditional era.

Museveni, therefore, urged the people of Pallisa to engage in modern commercial agriculture that is profit oriented. 

He noted that since land in the district is fragmented, emphasis should be put on intensive farming and promotion of high yielding agricultural produce that can give high returns in a small acreage.

He said that agricultural activities, such as the growing of coffee, fruits, poultry, piggery, zero-grazing and fish farming, should be promoted in the area.