Vice President (Rtd) Maj. Jessica Alupo has launched two projects namely The Young Rural Entrepreneurs’ Initiative and the Village Agricultural Model (VAM) Initiative at regional level, aimed to address household poverty and steer Busoga into a modern and prosperous sub-region of Uganda in the next few years.
Alupo launched the two projects at Majoga Primary School, Namayombe village in Namayingo district on August 9th, 2024. The event was attended by Prof. Li Xiaoyun, the lead chair professor of China Agricultural University, Dr. Xiao Liming the Vice President Tancent Holding Ltd, Members of Parliament in Namayingo district, religious leaders, the Governor of Busoga Consortium for Development (BCD) and local leaders from various Local Council levels from 1,2,3 and 5.
She was represented by Hajat Rukia Isanga Nakadama, the 3rd Deputy Prime Minister / Minister without Portfolio and Chairperson of the BCD Ministerial Committee.
“Basing on the guidance of H.E the President’s message during our inaugural Cabinet address as members of the National Executive Arm of Government, we agreed to lay strategies to tackle household food and income security as a means to steering Busoga out of poverty to the Money Income during the current term of the NRM Government,” Alupo stated in her speech.
She said that the launch was a testament that the leaders and the people of Busoga are committed to the shared dream for leading the transformation of Busoga to the Money Economy through well crafted and aligned interventions to the National strategies.
Alupo stated that the Village Agricultural Model and the Young Rural Entrepreneurs’ Initiatives had been drafted in line with the Government of Uganda strategic areas of focus especially commercialisation of Agriculture, Industrialisation, value addition, ICT and Science and Technology and Service sectors.
She added that those are core to the implementation of the Parish Development Model (PDM) program as the current National framework for implementation of interventions for wealth creation and employment generation at the Parish level.
She further said that they need to grow economically transformed villages to realise prosperous parishes and this is the gap that is being bridged by the VAM and Young Rural Entrepreneurs’ Initiatives.
“I would like to commend the BCD on identifying and fostering the establishment of strategic partnerships and networks in support of the great vision for the transformation of Busoga and Uganda at large. I am aware that these efforts have been greatly supported by H.E Zhang Lizhong the Chinese Ambassador to Uganda and H.E Antonio Querido as UN-FAO Country Representative to Uganda—Equally, in November 2023, we welcomed the China Agricultural University as key partners to the implementation of the two initiatives,” Alupo stated in her speech adding that a month back, they welcomed Liaoning Province and now Tencent Holdings Ltd led by H.E Dr. Xiao Liming as strategic partners in the transformation story of Busoga.
She said “all these efforts have been fruitful as a result of the strong support of His Royal Highness the Kyabazinga of Busoga, William Gabula Nadiope IV and Busoga Inter-Religious Council who continue to perform a great role of consolidating regional cohesion and unity.
About Land fragmentation, Alupo said it has been observed as a key problem to household transformation in Busoga and therefore, using the pilot model villages such as Namayombe in Namayingo, Mashaga in Mayuge district and Busana in Kamuli district, she assigned the BCD and all Local Government leaders to undertake an intentional drive to ensuring better land use practices so that the rest of the communities can learn and embrace H.E the President’s message on the matter.
Alupo further appreciated the selfless dedicated leadership of Mama Rt. Hon. Dr. Rebecca Kadaga as patron of the BCD, the Ministerial team led by Rt. Hon. Hajjat Nakadama Rukia Isanga as chair, the Local Government leaders led by the Governor Wakaze Simon, Namayingo district Local Government that hosted the launch and in a special way and BCD Secretariat team led by Anthony Mula as Director General
Prof. Li Xiaoyun, the lead Chair Professor at China Agricultural University, said his team and himself were happy to come to Namayombe village to witness the launch of the two initiatives.
“Today we have come to build a friendship and a partnership to improve our livelihood and reducing poverty—we liked to come to share our experiences from our country with the community members and under the great leadership of H.E Vice President, 1st and 3rd Deputy Prime Ministers, BCD leadership and Namayingo district leadership, we formulated the partnership and we focused on youth to lead us in future, support education and transformation in future,” Prof. Xiaoyun said.
Dr. Xiao Liming the Vice President Tencent Holding Ltd, revealed that the Young Rural Entrepreneurs’ Initiative, led by the Government of China, has been implemented in China and has so far helped 100,000 rural entrepreneurs who have promoted the rural areas of china and after launching the program in Uganda we look forward to young entrepreneurs developing their rural areas especially in Busoga hence reducing poverty.
In a move to historically transform Busoga, Anthony Mulla, the Director General of Busoga Consortium for Development, said 12 model villages are going to be established across Busoga i.e one village per local government and that the selected villages are to be holistically developed into flagship epicenters from where local economic transformation will emerge to spread across the entire local government like a wild fire leaving no one behind and ensuring that Busoga gets transformed.
Mula said they are going to work together with partners, work uniquely with a lot of commitment to ensure that they champion the project and see its fruitfulness within the set time frame.
The L.C 5 chairperson of Namayingo district, Ronald Sanya, called upon residents to embrace the Young Rural Entrepreneurs’ Initiative and the Village Agricultural Model (VAM) initiative.
Present at the launch were the Archbishop Jeronymos Muzeeyi the Metropolitan of Kampala, Bishop Hannington Suubi of Busoga East diocese, Bishop Munene Edward of the Born Again, Bishop Frank Tibagendeka Vice Governor BCD, Zhang Xiaogiang the team leader FAO-China Uganda at South-South Cooperation project phase 3, Mr. John Genda Walala Director Local Government Inspection at the Ministry of Local Government and Owek. Sam Nkenga the Minister of Agriculture in Busoga Kingdom among others.