GULU - President Yoweri Museveni has pledged to support James Ocan, a model farmer in Paicho sub-county, Gulu district, who is practising a four acres farming model, with an irrigation pump.
The pledge, according to Museveni, is aimed at helping Ocan with his farming so that he doesn’t only depend on the natural weather but can continue farming even during the dry season.
President says once the irrigation pump is given, Ocan should use the irrigation pump together with his neighbouring farmers so that they increase their households.
He encourages people to engage in the four-acre model farming where they grow a variety of crops and even rear animals to improve their food security and also their households’ income where they can grow food for sale.
The pledges came as the President visited Ocan’s farm at Wii Gweng village, Kal Ali B parish on Thursday afternoon to see his farm as one of the successful farmers in the four acre-model.
During the presidential visit, Ocan requested support from the President as he said he faces challenges of the dry season which make his crop dry up.
Ocan said on his 4.5 acres, he grows bananas, coffee, maize, cassava, sunflower, oranges, Avocado and mangoes. He also rears local chicken and practises piggery.
He says he decided to engage in four-acre model farming after he listened to the President on the radio about it. He added that farming also is to supplement his income as he is a carpenter, but the money he gets from his carpentry work cannot support the family fully.
He says now he has planted 545 stems of bananas where last year he reaped shilling 7.5 million from the venture.
Ocan says now he has planted 50 seedlings of coffee, mangoes, oranges, avocado and intercropped them with cassava, sunflower, maize and sweet potatoes.
Source: New Vision