Published on 29/11/2025
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has called on the people of Kiruhura to accelerate their shift from traditional livestock practices to intensive, commercial dairy farming, saying the cattle corridor holds the key to Uganda’s next phase of agricultural prosperity.
Addressing thousands at Nyakasharara playground in Kiruhura District on Friday, President Museveni said the region’s vast rangelands remain underutilized under free-range grazing, yet they could generate unprecedented wealth if farmers adopt zero grazing and other high-yield systems.
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“You people of Kiruhura, Kazo, and the entire cattle corridor, thank you for responding to our message on working and grazing cows for wealth creation. But do not stop,” he urged.
“Free-range grazing wastes land. On one square mile, you manage only 130 cows. With zero grazing, the same land can sustain thousands.”
The President, who was accompanied by First Daughter Pastor Patience Rwabwogo, said the cattle corridor has the capacity to become Uganda’s largest milk-based economic powerhouse once households embrace commercial, intensive production models. He pointed to success stories of Ugandans who have built high-return enterprises on very small pieces of land.
One example was Joseph Ijala, a former taxi driver who now operates an integrated 2.5-acre farm with 10,000 layer chickens and a zero-grazing dairy unit. Ijala collects 310 trays of eggs per day and earns over Shs 3 million daily, supplemented by milk sales that push his monthly income to Shs 6.8 million. “Ijala keeps eight cows on one acre. If that were a square mile, he would keep over 4,000 cows,” the President said, urging cattle corridor farmers to adopt similar practices.
He also highlighted Richard Nyakaana of Kabarole, whose 1.2-acre Kana Farm produces eggs, milk, feed, and manure. With just six cows, Nyakaana produces 120 litres of milk per day and earns Shs 20 million annually in profits. Another success story was George Matongo of Ngoma, Nakaseke, who produces more than 900 litres of milk per day despite living far from tarmac roads or electricity. Museveni said Matongo’s earnings of about Shs 21 million per month prove that wealth depends on enterprise, not infrastructure.
The President reiterated that from the mid-1980s, the NRM government has focused on mobilizing Ugandans to join the money economy, later introducing the four-acre model to guide families on commercial farming. He encouraged residents to plant grass for zero grazing, noting that Kiruhura—already one of the country’s leading milk producers—can achieve even higher productivity if households fully commercialize their operations.
Museveni stressed that the government continues to provide development, including roads, schools, and electricity, but household wealth must be generated by families themselves. “Development is for all of us, but wealth is yours as a family,” he said, pointing to the growth of industrial parks that employ thousands of Ugandans.
He also reviewed social services in Kiruhura, noting the presence of 74 government primary schools, 165 private primary schools, 7 government secondary schools, and 11 private secondary schools. On health, he announced that Akayanja Sub-County will receive a new Health Centre III to close an existing service gap.
