By Ben Musanje
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has directed Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja to draft legislation restricting farmers with less than four acres of land from growing maize, sugarcane, tobacco and cotton.
Nabbanja disclosed the directive while addressing LC1 and LC2 chairpersons and other local leaders from Kibijjo, Kyabasaijja, Kakumiro Town Council and Bwanswa Sub-County during a development training workshop in Kakumiro District.
According to the Prime Minister, Museveni’s position is that the four crops generate limited returns when cultivated on small plots and should instead be grown on medium and large landholdings where farmers can achieve economies of scale.
The proposal is consistent with Museveni’s long-running Four-Acre Model, which promotes intensive and diversified farming for households with limited land. Under the model, farmers are encouraged to allocate land to coffee, fruits, pasture for dairy cattle and food crops, while using backyard space for enterprises such as poultry and, where suitable, fish farming. op.go.ug+1
Museveni has previously argued that crops such as sugarcane, cotton, tobacco and maize are more suitable for large-scale farming. In January 2024, he said recommending sugarcane to farmers with four acres or less would leave them with inadequate returns, while medium and large landowners could grow the crops extensively. Office of the President
The President reiterated the position in 2025, saying farmers with as little as two acres who grow cotton or tobacco could struggle financially, while advocating for diversified production under the Four-Acre Model. op.go.ug
Nabbanja also warned local leaders about land fragmentation, saying the subdivision of family land into increasingly smaller plots undermines the implementation of the Four-Acre Model. She urged families to consider keeping land together and participating in family enterprises through shared ownership rather than repeatedly dividing it.
The Prime Minister used her own farm in Kakumiro to demonstrate the approach she was promoting. The model farm combines poultry, dairy cattle, coffee, vegetables and other agricultural enterprises. Government agricultural agencies describe the farm as a demonstration of how different enterprises can be integrated on limited land. NARO News+1
The government has previously encouraged smallholders to move away from what it describes as low-value, extensive farming. The Office of the Prime Minister has specifically cited maize, sugarcane, rice and tobacco among crops that can deliver limited returns when cultivated on increasingly scarce land. Prime Minister’s Office
The proposed legislation would represent a significant policy step beyond the government’s existing campaign to persuade smallholders to adopt the Four-Acre Model. As of the accounts available, the directive concerns drafting a law; it should not be reported as an existing prohibition until legislation has been formally enacted.
The Kakumiro workshop was also attended by Kibaale Woman Member of Parliament Annet Nabadduka and Kakumiro Resident District Commissioner Kibuuka Amooti. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
