MBALE CITY, August 4, 2025 — Agricultural extension workers in Mbale City have come under criticism for failing to provide technical support to farmers under the Parish Development Model [PDM], a government flagship programme aimed at transitioning households from subsistence farming to the money economy.
Yahaya Were, the Deputy Resident City Commissioner [DRCC] for Mbale Northern City Division, accused the extension staff of neglecting their field responsibilities, a failure he said was undermining the effectiveness of the programme.
Speaking during a monitoring and evaluation exercise on Wednesday, Were noted that some beneficiaries of the PDM have not received any guidance on enterprise management, resulting in poor outcomes and financial losses.
“The extension workers are not present in the field, yet they receive a government salary every month,” he said. “They must leave their offices and motorcycles and go out to advise beneficiaries. They should be inspecting gardens, recommending quality seed varieties, guiding on pest and disease control, and teaching proper post-harvest handling and storage.”
The DRCC made the remarks while leading a team of officials to assess the progress of PDM beneficiaries in Lwasso and Kiwunno wards. The team included Dr George Mangeni, the Mbale City Production Officer and PDM Focal Person. The assessment focused on individuals involved in poultry keeping, dairy farming, and coffee production.
Under the PDM, launched in February 2022, beneficiaries receive soft loans of Shs 1 million each, to invest in viable enterprises such as dairy, piggery, coffee, poultry, and various fruits. The programme targets to uplift 3.5 million households from subsistence farming into the formal economy.
Despite the ambitious aims, Were warned that inadequate technical support is threatening the long-term viability of these investments.
Beneficiaries themselves voiced similar frustrations. Salim Munabi Wandera, a farmer from Kibagala Cell, Kiwunno Ward, engaged in poultry and dairy farming, said he had received little to no guidance from extension officers.
Hussein Mafabi, a coffee farmer from Magada Cell in Lwasso Ward, echoed the same concerns. “There’s a huge gap between us and the extension workers. We are left to figure things out on our own,” he said.
Mangeni acknowledged the concerns but defended the extension staff, attributing the challenges to severe understaffing following the recent administrative expansion of Mbale City.
“Mbale City should not be judged by its old structure. The city was enlarged after incorporating two town councils and several rural sub-counties. Our current staff capacity is overwhelmed,” Mangeni explained. “Many of our farmers live in remote, hilly areas, making access difficult. We urgently need to recruit more extension officers to meet the service demand.”
Despite the challenges, Mangeni noted that a significant number of farmers have successfully utilised their PDM funds, especially in dairy-related enterprises such as zero-grazing.
“Our latest monitoring shows that approximately 80 percent of the farmers we visited are making commendable progress. A few are struggling, but overall, we are seeing positive results,” he added.
According to A thematic report of the Auditor General on the management of the PDM 2024, Mbale City Council received over Shs 7.4 billion and disbursed about 5.6 billion to the beneficiaries.
Local officials have called on the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries [MAAIF] to urgently address the human resource gaps to safeguard the success of the PDM in the region.
The PDM, run under the Ministry of Local Government, remains a cornerstone of Uganda’s strategy to boost rural incomes and promote inclusive growth. However, stakeholders warn that without adequate on-the-ground support, the programme’s impact in the communities could be significantly diminished.
https://thecooperator.news/bushenyi-authorities-urge-timely-repayment-of-pdm-loans/
Buy your copy of thecooperator magazine from one of our country-wide vending points or an e-copy on emag.thecooperator.news
