By Donald Kiirya
First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of East African Community Affairs Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga has flagged off the Busoga Consortium for Development’s (BCD) Village Agricultural Model (VAM) initiative.
The initiative is aimed at improving agricultural production and transforming the lives of people in Busoga region and Uganda at large.
Kadaga, alongside Third Deputy Prime Minister/Minister without Portfolio and chairperson of the BCD ministerial committee Rukia Isanga Nakadama, Busoga Consortium’s director general Anthony Mulla, Isaac Musumba and Zhang Xiaogiang, the team leader FAO-China Uganda at South-South Co-operation project phase 3, flagged off the initiative on August 3, 2024 at Mashaga village in Mayuge district and Busana village in Kamuli district.
The Busoga Consortium for Development organised the trial to commission VAM in selected villages in Busoga where Kadaga who is also the patron of BCD was chief guest.
According to Nakadama, VAM is being piloted by BCD in collaboration with China Agricultural University (CAU) and the office of the Vice-President, as a potent vehicle for unpacking the 10-year Busoga Development Agenda (BDA) and effective operationalisation of the Parish Development Model (PDM) programme in Busoga.
She said VAM embodies a holistic approach that transcends individual farms to encompass entire villages, fostering community engagement, collaboration and sustainable agricultural practices.
“By adopting a village-wide perspective, VAM aligns seamlessly with the overarching goals of PDM, particularly in regions like Busoga, where a comprehensive approach is needed to break the cycle of poverty and deprivation,” Nakadama said.
She added that 12 model villages are going to be established across Busoga i.e one village per local government and that the selected villages are to be holistically developed into flagship epicenters from where local economic transformation will emerge to spread across the entire local government.
Nakadama informed residents that Kyabazinga William Gabula Nadiope IV and herself, recently led a delegation from Uganda particularly from Busoga, under BCD to attend the 5th Forum on China Africa Local Government Co-operation (FCALGC) in Guangzhou China.
She said during the forum, Chinese and African leaders witnessed the signing of a co-operation agreement between Uganda’s BCD province and Liaoning Province of China and thereafter resulted in the creation of the VAM initiative.
Nakadama revealed that President Yoweri Museveni is aware of the VAM initiative under BCD and appreciated his support in the initiative.
Kadaga appreciated Nakadama and the Kyabazinga for leading a delegation to China where agreements were signed.
“I urge you to grow sim-sim, soya bean, rice and other food crops in plenty because orders have already been placed. For example, the Chinese need us to supply many tonnes of sim-sim by October this year,” Kadaga told residents.
She cautioned the residents against selling their land and also stop land fragmentation by focus on growing food crops on a large scale so that they can increase income in their households.
Kadaga further urged residents to embrace the initiative to enhance socioeconomic transformation in Busoga and the rest of Uganda.
She thanked Zhang and his team for the commitment adding that they are going to stay in the pilot villages for one-and-a-half years passing on various expertise to people who will benefit from this initiative.
Mulla, informed residents that the market for their produce is ready and urged them to work with the Chinese experts by providing them with accommodation facilities, food and all necessary support.
Mulla also introduced BCD staff to the public while at the event and appreciated support from Vice-President Jessica Alupo, Isaac Musumba, Chinese Ambassador to Uganda and other dignitaries among others, towards initiating the VAM initiative.
Zhang Xiaogiang revealed that his team is ready to showcase various enterprises in growing various crops in communities in the pilot villages.
Zhang added that he was delighted to work with Busoga Consortium under the VAM initiative aimed at transforming the lives of residents.
BCD’s Governor and LC5 chairperson of Luuka district, Simon Wakaze, requested leaders to embrace the initiative and asked local governments at LCs 3, 4 and 5 to always include funds for implementation of the VAM initiative in their budgets to reduce poverty in Busoga.
Later Kadaga, Nakadama, Zhang, Musumba, Mulla and other dignitaries signed on a raised banner as VAM was being commissioned in Mashaga village in Mayuge district.
LEAD PHOTO CAPTION: Third Deputy Prime Minister Rukia Isanga Nakadama (R) signing on a raised banner during the commissioning of the Busoga Consortium for Development’s Village Agricultural Model (VAM) at Mashaga village in Mayuge district on Sunday. Looking on is First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of East African Community Affairs Rebecca Kadaga (2nd R) and Busoga Consortium for Development Director General Anthony Mulla (L). Photo by Donald Kiirya.
