Experts urge farmers to embrace one-acre model farming

Climate experts have asked farmers to embrace the one-acre model of farming that will help to integrate biomass, livestock, and livelihood demands in the country.

Speaking at the 3-day 2nd East Africa Food Security Symposium and Expo 2023 at Makerere University Business School in Kampala, the Minister General Duties in the office of the Prime Minister, Justine Kasule Lumumba lauded the climate change project saying that, they chose the best group to partner with, adding that students are good message senders and that they are the future.

“l want to say, you took on the best partners, the universities, and if you could also extend especially when you are working in communities. lf you want the communities to understand and appreciate your efforts, you should also work with primary schools,” Ms. Lumumba said.

“We work with universities because they help us to evaluate our performance when it comes to implementation of our development agenda. They work with us when it comes to evaluating our performance in terms of specific policies, and their devices either form or cause change within the policy,” she added.

Dr Tom Okia Okurut the Executive Director, Climate Change Action East Africa ( CCAEA) said that the goal of one-acre model is to promote community-based approaches to climate change and adaption strategies that will enhance climate resilient, agriculture/livestock productivity as an integral part of enhancing biomass energy availability to the communities.

“The one-acre model is in response to climate change and poverty alleviation. It requires people to assume that they have the will to get out of poverty,” Dr Okurut noted.

Prof Moses Muhwezi the Principal of Makerere University Business School (MUBS) said that there is need to sensitize the public that climate change is a crisis, adding that there is chronic malnutrition in Uganda which stands at 28 percent.

“As MUBS we have resolved from that symposium that the government makes it a requirement (in the PDM guidelines) for whoever receives PDM funds to plant at least 10 trees. This way, we shall make Uganda green,” Prof Muhwezi said.

Written by Barbra Anyait