By Robert Adiga
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has urged the farmers in Nebbi to embrace good agricultural practices if they are to reap from the small pieces of land they own.
The president sounded the advice as he toured Polla Mixed Farm Limited belonging to Grace Kwach Kermundu, one of the model farmers selected from the West Nile region on Tuesday.
Polla Mixed farm limited sitting on 300 acres of land is located in Udhure village, Kalowang Parish, Nebbi Subsounty in Nebbi district started in 2011.
The president challenged the community around Nebbi and other neighboring districts to learn and emulate the good farming practices exhibited by Kermundu.
“I also want to commend you Kermundu for investing such good practices among your community such that they can learn and also benefit from you otherwise if you were a selfish person, if you would establish such a model farm in another district”, Said president Museveni.
President Museveni further says, the only way the families can have a sustainable income and fight poverty is through embracing good agricultural practices.
The president is for a three day tour of the Westnile region to popularize the different poverty alleviation programs initiated by the government such as EMYOOGA and Parish Development Model (PDM).
Grace Kwach Kermundu 40, the managing Director Polla Mixed farm says, the visit of the president to her farm is a blessing and big inspiration to her implying that, whatever she has been struggling for in the farm has not been in vain as it is a big motivation both for her and the entire community who have turned up to witness the occasion.
Kwach says, they are investing 5percent of their profits towards supporting disadvantaged members of the community.
According to her, they are earning over sh100m from the farm annually through the sale of various products.
Grace Kwach Kermundu is the regional winner for the Best Farmers’ competition in 2019 and is set to travel to the Netherlands this year.
“Being identified as a model farmer in the whole district is a big achievement because for the president to reach your place, it will have a long term impression on the community, especially the young generation including the district officials who will seek to be recognized also in future through farming”, Kwach added.
Emmanuel Urombi, the district chairperson Nebbi district local government says, the choice of the farmer was reached unanimously by the district executive committee and other stakeholders.
According to him, the farm chosen is worth visiting by the president because there is no other farmer in the whole of greater Nebbi that can compete with Polla mixed farm owned by Grace.
Meanwhile Agnes Acibu, the woman Member of Parliament for Nebbi district says, they are happy as a district that one of the model farmers comes from the district which is worth celebrating since the farm has been seen as one that alleviates poverty among the community.
“I believe after the visit by the president, it will be easy for us to talk to the community members on mindset change since they have been able to see the benefit of good agricultural practices and our main role will now be to advise the community against rampant sale of land”, Said Acibu.
Acibu added that the major challenge that limits large-scale farming in the district is the knowledge gap where people are not aware about the need to start small.
“Many of our farmers think that one need to start big with huge capital but the start of this farm only started with less than two acres before it expanded to this level, so we have a big task to sensitize the community now with the coming of parish development model, the presidents coming is very timely and it will surely bring change in Nebbi district”, Added Acibu
The farm’s projects are seated on 300 acres of land occupied with assorted fruit trees and non-fruit trees, piggery, watermelon, honey, fish ponds and cereals.
Over the years, the farm provides extension services to over 300 other farmers in the community in the fields of agronomy, post-harvest handling, value addition, group dynamics, and leadership skills.
