MBARARA- President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has interacted with Ankole leaders and urged them to preach against land fragmentation in the region.
The President met these leaders at Kakyeka Grounds in Mbarara, during his Operation Wealth Creation Programme.
“Besides the four-acre model that I have elaborately explained, you must also preach against land fragmentation. In Kabale, over-fragmentation means few people have at least four acres of land. Let land be jointly owned by families but only share proceeds,” he said.
He also told them and told them that despite official figures showing 11% of the people there living below the poverty line, the actual numbers could be higher.
“These rosy figures are because statisticians use indicators like calorie intake, access to safe drinking water, ability to access education which are mainly government-provided services, while food for home consumption is readily available” he said.
He also added that this computation, however, does not take into account that a big percentage of the population is leading a subsistence lifestyle, producing only for consumption.
“Without disposable income to pay for goods and services, this in my view, is a poor population”, he said.
The President revealed that this is why he has been on the countrywide campaign, to awaken people to this reality.
“The 68% of our population in subsistence agriculture must be elevated into the money economy”, he added.
Mr Museveni said that the leaders must champion this drive.
