Busoga elders advise youth to have smaller families and focus on agrobusiness

7 November 2023, 6:07 pm

Busoga elders have advised youth to opt smaller families as the only way to development.

According to Uganda Bureau of Statistics UBOS, Busoga has about 3.9 million people who live in chiefdoms of Bugabula, Bugweri, Bukooli, Luuka, Bunhole, Bulamoji, Bunha, Bugembe, Bukono and Kuguli under Busoga Kingdom.

Dr. Frank Nabwiso a seasonal politician, writer, educationist and human defender, says the overleading factors include poverty, unemployment and low prices of regional cash crop which is sugar cane. He adds the there is a lot of religion bias about family planning and culture which stop the Basoga from family planning teachings such as on use of birth controls. This has led to over population in the area yet the land in not increasing. “You can imagine a young man of 28 years having 3 wives and 8 children. How can such family meet all needs and how can they develop?’’ Nabwiso asked.

He says after visiting Moslem countries on African continent such as Morocco and Algeria, he found that they advise men to have at least one wife. This has contributed to development easy access to medical care and other services.   

 “I challenge president Museveni to create a presidential initiative program and statement of urgent need to call for small families in Busoga and Uganda as a whole intending to call for small families.’’

Dr. Frank Nabwiso said these while meeting the youths from Busoga who gathered at Guide Leisure Farm in Najjera, Wakiso for a business symposium focusing investment opportunities Busoga has.

Currently Busoga’s major cash crops are sugar canes for sugar production where almost every homestead grows. Nabwiso says this canes prices cannot sustains most families in the region. ‘’For now I hear the tonne of sugar can is 240.000. This means every kilograms goes for 240 yet school pens costs 700ugs. This means a parent may sell 3 kilograms of sugar cane to buy a single pen.’’

He wants youths to focus on having small families to be able to work, educate their children, and join agrobusiness in the region because the land is fertile and accessible in all the corners.

 “How can the region be importing Matooke from Ankole, Western Uganda yet we have the most major high ways to different boarders? Let’s be focused to get more agroproducts that can give us money.”

Racheal Magoola, women Member of Parliament Bugweri, says this is the time to over think about need for small homes and involving in entrepreneurship for family. She wants the Ministry of gender to come up with policies aiming to encouraging family planning.

She adds that this will awaken the youths in the region to join agro-industry, tourism, transportation among others. ‘’Most youths are overproducing children due to unemployment and lack of business training. Now with the support of Guide Leisure Farm and other players we are going to move the whole of Busoga and call our youths to be in smart agriculture.”

Meanwhile the economic strength is on hospitality, unique culture, fertile soils and major highways which connect Uganda’s various boarders.

On Northern Busoga, is Lake Kyoga and South Lake Victoria while the entry point from Buganda is through River Nile. This means there is need for investment on water transportation, irrigation and fishing which the Basoga youths can invest in by involving in small cottages.

Prof. Gudula Basaza who leads Guide Leisure Farm says they are putting all effort to interest the youths in Busoga to embrace smart agriculture.

‘’Through our Parish Entrepreneurship Learning Associations PELA, we have developed skilling sessions, market research, and capacity building for the youth to enjoy agriculture and our reason why we have interest in Busoga is to see you being productive, participating in the economy and get wealth,’’ Gudula said. Guide Leisure Farm calls for investors to join the trained youth to boost their business. “Lots of cottages such as poultry, piggery, white meat production among others have been put in places. Our aim is to see that every youth in Busoga is producing something, some cash.” The region is strategically placed in next to large waters and has major highways which the youth can use to trade with the Kenyans, Tanzanians and South Sudanese.