Parish Development Model-PDM beneficiaries in Kasese district have been discouraged from investing money into cotton growing.
Kasese district is one of the leading producers of cotton in the entire country but the State Minister of ICT and National Guidance, Godfrey Kabyanga says that cotton growing should be left to people with vast pieces of land because it fetches very low prices urging.
He urged the beneficiaries to embrace the four-acre development strategy, where a farmer plants one acre of food crops, another acre of fruits, and coffee, and one for pasture and animal husbandry.
On Thursday Kasese district local government launched the disbursement of the PDM funds with at least each of 240 beneficiaries from 197 Saccos in the district expected to receive the money.
The minister also said that he has asked the CAO to take action against people who have invested money in cotton growing.
The LCV Chairperson Eliphazi Muhindi agreed that cotton farming has failed to help smallholder farmers to get out of poverty due to the high cost of production against the low market prices.
He hoped that once people’s incomes improve it will eventually lead to peace and security and eradicate unemployment.
The Chief Administrative Officer-CAO Erias Byamungu encouraged beneficiaries to utilise the money for only production purposes.
Nasitasia Nyakaisiki one of the beneficiaries from Katwe-Kabatoro said she intends to use the money to boast her salt trade business and be able to support the education of her children.
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