BUKEDEA – President Yoweri Museveni has asked people of Teso to stop growing cotton but rather resort to projects that bring in profits.
He said projects like piggery, Poultry and fish farming are ventures that bring in good money than it is for cotton.
“In the 80s Teso region used to grow cotton on large scale but most of the people are still crying of poverty and they have never been rich,” Mr. Museveni said.
He was on Saturday opening multimillion Bukedea Comprehensive Academy, and radio station both owned by the Bukedea Woman MP Anita Among, at Kachumbala Sub County.
Mr. Museveni said, Uganda now is after two things, that is development and riches.
“If people accept fish farming, fruit planting, piggery, wealth will be the easy tool people can achieve,” he added.
“Let people leave and get out of cotton growing, start fish keeping, piggery, poultry fruit tree growing, people will get rich faster than growing rice in the swamps,” Mr Museveni added.
He said by policy every sub-county in the country should have good roads, health center, therefore it’s the mandate of people to identify, things that they do as to become rich.
Col Abel Ekelot, regional coordinator operation wealth creation (OWC) eastern region, said through government, (OWC) is trying to pull off farmers from growing or cultivating non-profitable crops.
“The government of Uganda is soon donating over 280 tractors to farmers, the main reason is fighting poverty, orange trees are going to be distributed to people, pigs among others, my appeal to Teso people, let’s accept to shift from cotton growing to fish keeping, piggery among others”, he said.
