Minister Akello urges Development Partners to support Four-acre Model

By Ismael Kasooha

KAMPALA

The Minister of State for Northern Uganda, Hon. Beatrice Akello, has asked development partners to embrace the President’s call and support communities in adopting the four-acre model for socio-economic transformation.

“The President has consistently advocated engaging communities in commercial agriculture so that the remaining 30% of households can also join the money economy,” Akello said. “I urge you to support us in mobilising people for interventions such as the four-acre model.”

Akello made the call during a recent meeting with a team from The Hunger Project Uganda, an international non-governmental organisation, at the Office of the Prime Minister in Kampala.

Akello, who is the Agago District Woman Member of Parliament, said development partners need to support the government’s flagship programmes, such as the Parish Development Model (PDM), to facilitate household income enhancement and socio-economic transformation.

“PDM has already produced results, and communities are being transformed. Development partners therefore need to support the government so that more households can benefit from such interventions,” Akello said.

She commended development partners for their contributions to Uganda’s development. However, the Minister observed that there is a need for a mindset change among people in northern Uganda to enable them to use the available resources, such as land, for development.

Irene Naikaali, the Hunger Project Country Director for Uganda addressing the Minister of State for Northern Uganda, Hon. Beatrice Akello (extreme right) at OPM

The Hunger Project Uganda Country Director, Irene Naikaali, assured the Minister of the organisation’s continued support for the people of northern Uganda in achieving socio-economic transformation.

“We are ready to work with the government to help our people transform,” Naikaali said.

She briefed the Minister on the organisation’s ongoing interventions in northern Uganda. The meeting was attended by Mr Gerald Ekinu, the Assistant Commissioner (Programme) for Northern Uganda Rehabilitation, and other technical officers.