On Thursday, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni held a productive meeting with Mr. Yohei Sasakawa, Chairman of the Nippon Foundation. Based in Tokyo, Japan, the Nippon Foundation is a private, non-profit organization established in 1962, funded by revenue from motorboat racing to carry out philanthropic activities.
During the meeting, President Museveni welcomed Mr. Sasakawa to Uganda and expressed gratitude for his contributions to the East African country.
“I remember when you first came here with the Nobel Prize winner and Mr. Jimmy Carter. I thank you so much for the great work you have done,” he said.
President Museveni praised Mr. Sasakawa for his ongoing support in developing Uganda’s agricultural sector.
“Production can increase up to tenfold with the use of fertilizers and irrigation. The potential here is vast, and I encourage you to continue your work, especially in collaboration with our Parish Development Model (PDM) program,” he urged.
The President emphasized that Uganda’s challenge is not poverty but a need for a shift in lifestyle. “Our struggle since 1986 has been to transition our people from a pre-capitalist mode of economy to a money economy. According to our census, 61 percent of homesteads are now in the money economy, while 39 percent are still outside it,” he noted.
“The PDM aims to ensure all homesteads join the money economy through four sectors: commercial agriculture, manufacturing and artisanship, services, and ICT, particularly focusing on commercial agriculture and value addition.”
President Museveni also encouraged Mr. Sasakawa and his team to educate farmers on growing upland rice instead of cultivating rice in swamps, which harms natural resources. He expressed appreciation for Mr. Sasakawa’s efforts to improve soil fertility in the Karamoja sub-region. “I’m pleased with Mr. Sasakawa’s focus on soil health. Often, we use fertilizers without understanding the specific needs of each area. You should produce useful and safe fertilizers and provide us with more ideas and direct support where possible.”
The President highlighted Uganda’s progress in developing the dairy industry and expressed optimism for similar advancements in other agricultural products like coffee and beef.
Mr. Sasakawa, in return, expressed his delight in seeing President Museveni in good health. He pledged continued support for Ugandan farmers to boost productivity and ensure food security.
“Thank you, Your Excellency, for your strong leadership. We see great potential in Uganda’s agriculture sector and are committed to proactively supporting farmers here. It is crucial not to be entirely reliant on imports, and creating a self-sufficient environment through agriculture is a great achievement,” Mr. Sasakawa said.
He also mentioned the Islamic Development Bank’s interest in Uganda’s agricultural sector and its eagerness to collaborate with the Ugandan government for the sector’s further development.