President Yoweri Museveni has called on leaders, particularly sub-county chiefs and chairpersons at various levels, to document beneficiaries of the Parish Development Model (PDM) to enhance government oversight and measure the program’s effectiveness.
Addressing residents in Busituma 1 village, Makenya Parish, Manafwa District, Museveni emphasised the importance of accurate data in ensuring the program achieves its goal of fostering economic growth and poverty reduction.
“You should get data of beneficiaries (families) per parish so that you know how many people have benefited from PDM,” Museveni said. “The plan is to give Shs 100 million to 100 homesteads per year. In three years, we will have covered 300 homesteads. By the third year, those who would have borrowed Shs 1 million will be returning it. That means in five years, each parish bank will have Shs 500 million, plus Shs 300 million from returned loans, making it Shs 800 million.”
Museveni cited a parish in Kawumu, Luwero District, with 1,200 homesteads, projecting that in ten years, these households could access Shs 1 billion or more through the scheme.
The president noted that by extending the program across two political terms, parishes could accumulate substantial funds to foster economic independence, reducing reliance on moneylenders or high-interest banks.
Success stories
President Museveni’s visit included an interaction with Mr. John Namukhono, a PDM beneficiary in Manafwa District. Namukhono received Shs 1 million in October 2023, using the funds to buy a heifer for Shs 700,000 and two pigs for Shs 100,000 each.
Six months later, he sold the cow for Shs 1.2 million and earned an additional Shs 200,000 from selling piglets. With the total Shs 1.4 million, Namukhono purchased an in-calf cow, which has since given birth and produces five litres of milk daily.
Impressed by Namukhono’s success, President Museveni supported him with Shs 12 million to purchase two more cows and expand his dairy enterprise.
“I’m glad he responded to our message of getting out of poverty,” Museveni said. He also criticised local leaders for failing to engage directly with citizens to promote the program’s benefits.
Museveni expressed optimism about the PDM’s potential to outperform previous poverty alleviation programs, including the Start-Up Capital Initiative (Entandikwa), NAADS, and Operation Wealth Creation (OWC).
The president reiterated the importance of the four-acre farming model, where farmers dedicate one acre each to coffee, fruits, food crops, and pasture for dairy cattle.
Additional activities such as poultry farming, piggery, and fish farming further enhance productivity and income generation.
“Every borrower must get Shs 1 million to engage in one of the seven activities we recommended,” Museveni said. “I can see here he selected piggery as one of the activities. This is what we have been talking about since 1986.”
In Shanemba Village, Bududa District, Museveni met Mr. Moses Kutosi, another PDM beneficiary. With Shs 980,000, Kutosi purchased three pigs, which have since multiplied and earned him Shs 1.6 million.
He used the proceeds to buy a heifer, which now produces four litres of milk daily, earning him Shs 112,000 monthly.
However, Kutosi highlighted the high cost of animal feeds as a significant challenge. Museveni responded by directing the National Enterprise Corporation (NEC) to produce affordable feeds at zonal levels to support farmers.
The president also cautioned against land fragmentation among family members, advocating for wealth distribution through shares instead.
“This money will never go back to the government; it is your money,” Museveni assured beneficiaries. “Don’t play around with it.”
