Hamis Ssetumba, the Buikwe District Commercial Officer suggests that in the next budget cycle, the government should reconsider its policy of providing a tractor per district, and instead scale it down to sub-county levels where the machines will make significant impacts.
Local government leaders have urged the central government to significantly invest in agricultural mechanization as a strategy to boost farmers' productivity. This call was among the key recommendations discussed during the Local Government Regional Budget Consultative Dialogue for the upcoming financial year, which took place in Masaka City.
The leaders warned that the government's goal of improving the livelihoods of all Ugandans may not be achievable if the agricultural sector, which employs the majority of the population, continues to be overlooked in terms of direct investment. Hamis Ssetumba, the Buikwe District Commercial Officer, suggested that in the next budget cycle, the government should rethink its policy of providing just one tractor per district.
Instead, he recommends scaling this down to the sub-county level, where the machines can have a more significant impact. According to him, providing two tractors per sub-county across all farming regions would be an ideal approach to support agricultural mechanization and commercialization, thereby increasing productivity and boosting the economy.
Jordan Musinguzi, a member of the National Youth Council, also believes that extending tractors to sub-counties would make them more accessible to local communities, many of which remain underserved under the current policy.
He further suggests that the government should provide direct seed capital and shared facilities for groups of youth who complete vocational skills training at various youth industrial hubs and training centers initiated by President Yoweri Museveni. Musinguzi argues that many of these trained youths struggle to launch their projects due to a lack of capital, hindering their ability to improve their livelihoods.
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Similarly, local government leaders called for an increase in funding for various wealth-creation programs to expand their reach and impact. Rogers Bazanya, Deputy Speaker for Mukono Municipal Council, pointed out that, for instance, the 100 million Shillings allocated to Parish Development SACCOs is insufficient to make a tangible impact, especially in densely populated areas. He urged the government to develop a funding formula for the Parish Development Model (PDM) program based on the population size of each benefiting parish.
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State Minister for Microfinance Haruna Kyeyune Kasolo acknowledged that the government is taking note of the suggestions presented by the various stakeholders and will study them for potential implementation to enhance service delivery and improve people's livelihoods.
He, however, challenged local government leaders to serve as the first-line ambassadors for all wealth creation programs, ensuring they provide timely and accurate information to the public to maximize the benefits of these initiatives.
