As President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni is advocating for the four-acre model, Lubega Richard, a model farmer from Buseesa Trading Centre, Kibaale District is using 1.5 acres of land to transform his life and that of his community.
Recently, Uganda’s Prime Minister Rt.Hon Nabanja Robinah visited Richard’s farm and she was amazed by what is found on this farm and the unimaginable profits gained by Richard from his farm.
On this farm, there are different income generating projects initiated by Richard including but not limited to; piggery, goat farming, cattle fattening, poultry, fish farming, vegetable growing, and a banana plantation.
While explaining to the Prime Minister, Richard said that the piggery project occupies a quarter an acre of land whereas goats, poultry and cattle fattening projects are also on a quarter an acre of land. In addition to this he has a pasture garden on a quarter an acre of land that he uses to feed his livestock. He uses the biogas system for clean energy production on his farm.
One of the most fruitful projects on Richard’s farm is the fish farming project which sits on half an acre of land, with 5 fish ponds, a garden of vegetables, banana plantations an Agro-ecotourism site where he intends to set up recreation facilities.
Richard brought to the attention of the Prime Minister that he makes a profit margin of over 200 million Uganda shillings annually out of the revenue collected from the above projects.
I make 136,000,000 out of piggery project, 42,800,000 out of goats, 18,820,000 out of poultry, and 30,000,000 out of fish farming.
Says Richard
Amidst all these achievements on Richard’s farm, he says that he has faced some unavoidable challenges including but not limited to; Scarcity of quality animal feeds, lack of improved animal breeds, increasing demand for capacity building from the community members amidst scarcity of funds to carryout community empowerment and support.
I receive a big number of requests from the community members within and outside Bunyoro subregion on capacity building and support for our breeds, and other projects. The resources I have in terms of finance and technology are limited to a small number of farmers who can easily reach my farm. Many farmers are still missing the opportunity of learning from my farm yet my target for setting up this demonstration farm was to empower and reach out to many farmers in Uganda. My farm also lacks a maize mill with a mixer for farm feeds, Friesian cows, Solar irrigation system for vegetables, Fence for ponds, Fish pellets machine, poultry hatchery and a multipurpose agricultural tractor. All these are also demands by the farmers who rely on my farm technologies.
Says Richard Lubega, Model Farmer
Richard’s farm receives averagely 30 farmers per month who come to learn from the modern agricultural practices exhibited on the farm.
He called upon government’s intervention and support from likeminded local and international individuals and organizations that are passionate about empowering and supporting farmers with latest agricultural practices.
Richard has managed to improve his economic status using the 1.5 acre of land. He has financed his education up to degree level, his children are attaining quality education from reputable schools, he has constructed a health center III facility where he employs over 10 health workers. His farm employs over 20 workers, both skilled and unskilled. He has a good and comfortable home. He has procured a car, tricycle, 4 motorcycles which are used in the day today management of his demonstration farm.
Richard is emulating the presidential four-acre model approach which he has simplified into a 1.5-acre model where he is generating over 200 million.
According to President Museveni, the four-acre approach or model aspires to have a farmer earning up to one hundred million shillings from a four-acre piece of land. The farmer should have a coffee plantation on one acre, fruits (citrus and mangoes, pineapples, pasture) on the second acre, pastures for feeding the livestock on the 3rd acre, and 4th acre for the food crop growing.
