President Yoweri Museveni has attributed the poverty in the country to the failure of people to embrace government programs.
Museveni noted while inspecting different enterprises of farmers under the parish development Model-PDM program across the Busoga sub-region on Wednesday.
According to him, he started economic empowerment programs in 1989 by steering the cattle farming communities to embrace value addition for their milk products.
He notes that this initiative succeeded in 1995, with Ugandan processed milk products filling the supermarket shelves, contrary to the earlier post-independence times between the 1960s-1990 when such items were only imported from Europe and Asia.
Museveni argues that, after registering success with the cattle-keeping communities in Ankole, he introduced a similar campaign “bona bagagawale,” which he credits for introducing 32% of Uganda’s total households to the money economy.
Museveni says that they introduced the NAADs program, which registered a record performance of elevating 61% of households out of poverty.
He however, notes that, due to public outcry about inconsistencies in their operations, with sections of the public accusing them of unfair distribution of farm supplies and other user items, they introduced the PDM program geared towards elevating the remaining 39% Ugandans out of poverty.
Museveni argues that, despite the success stories witnessed by beneficiaries of government-led development programs, some members of the public have opted to listen to detractors rather than pushing for their general welfare improvement.
Museveni said that, unlike the previous poverty alleviation initiatives, PDM funds are controlled by the beneficiaries themselves, which offers them all the liberty to drive their financial destiny.
Meanwhile, some Sacco members raised the need for intensified financial literacy training, which they say is key in enterprise selection and product marketing.
Ruth Nabirye says that eight of their members invested in tomato growing without making extensive consultations and their products were destroyed by bad weather.
Nabirye notes that the success of PDM will depend on continued support from both the commercial officers and agricultural extension workers, with expatriate knowledge on all enterprise management procedures.
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