President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has announced government commitment to supporting local farmers in the Teso sub-region who are willing to acquire irrigation systems.

On Wednesday, November 20^th, 2024, the President held a public rally in Kaberamaido district on the last day of his tour of the Teso region to assess the implementation of the parish development model, PDM, and wealth creation activities.

In his message, President Museveni said the government is ready to support local people engaging in farming and is willing to acquire irrigation systems.

“If we get local people who are willing to acquire irrigation systems, the government support them. This will enable our local farmers to improve their productivity throughout the year,” the president said.

Regarding the 20% that a farmer should pay as a cost share in order to acquire irrigation systems, President Museveni said this should be scrapped to allow interested farmers to benefit from the scheme.

President Museveni said the government is negotiating with potential investors to establish a start-up factory in Teso to create a market for cassava in the area.

He added that this initiative will directly create more opportunities for farmers in Teso once successfully implemented.

About PDM beneficiaries whose enterprises were affected by natural calamities in the area, President Museveni said the government will find the best way to support them after they have been verified.

“Those who received money and their enterprises were affected by the natural calamities; the government will first verify to ascertain how they can be best supported,” the president said.

President urged locals to abandon rice growing in wetlands and instead adopt fish farming which he said is more profitable.

During the rally, a section of local leaders also announced that they had endorsed President Museveni as the NRM sole candidate in the 2026 elections.

President Museveni toured the region from November 18th–20th, 2024, where he visited model farms in the area and also mobilized farmers to embrace four-acre model farming.

From Teso sub region, President Museveni will embark on the tour of Karamoja sub region to asses the implementation of Parish Development Model and wealth creation activities.