Namutumba District — A fish farmer in Namutumba District has earned more than Shs6.3 million from his first production cycle after investing funds received under the Parish Development Model (PDM), highlighting the programme’s potential to transform household incomes through productive investments.
The success story emerged during ongoing monitoring exercises by the Office of the National Chairman (ONC), where district coordinators are assessing the performance of PDM beneficiaries and documenting the impact of government wealth-creation initiatives at the grassroots.
During a recent field visit, Namutumba District ONC Coordinator Ms Lillian Naigaga met Mr Wamujja Henry, 60, a resident of Siira Village in Buwongo Parish, Nsinze Sub-county, whose fish farming venture has grown into a profitable enterprise since receiving PDM support.
Mr Wamujja received Shs1 million under the PDM programme on August 1, 2023. At the time, he had already invested in constructing fish ponds but lacked the capital required to stock them with fingerlings and purchase feeds necessary to begin production.
Faced with the challenge of limited financing, he invested Shs600,000 in purchasing 3,000 fish fingerlings and used the remaining funds, supplemented by Shs100,000 from his personal savings, to acquire two sacks of fish feeds valued at Shs250,000 each.
His initial projection was to harvest approximately 1,500 kilograms of fish and generate close to Shs9 million in revenue. Although the actual harvest reached 1,065 kilograms, the venture still delivered significant returns.
According to Mr Wamujja, the harvested fish were sold at Shs6,000 per kilogram, generating total sales of Shs6,378,000 from the first production cycle.
The earnings have substantially improved household income and strengthened his confidence in fish farming as a viable commercial enterprise. He said the proceeds will be reinvested to expand production and improve the sustainability of the project.
“I am grateful to President Museveni and the government for the Parish Development Model programme. The support enabled me to transform a project that had stalled due to lack of capital into a productive business that is now supporting my family,” Mr Wamujja said.
Ms Naigaga described the project as a practical example of how PDM funds can stimulate wealth creation when invested in productive ventures. She noted that such success stories demonstrate the programme’s growing contribution to improving livelihoods and promoting household participation in the money economy.
“The objective of PDM is to support beneficiaries to engage in income-generating activities that can improve their standards of living. Mr Wamujja’s success is evidence that when the funds are utilized effectively, they can create sustainable economic opportunities,” she said.
Despite the progress, Mr Wamujja cited theft and attacks from predators, including birds and monitor lizards, as major challenges affecting the enterprise. He explained that the lack of fencing around the fish ponds exposes the project to losses and increases operational risks.
He appealed for additional support and guidance to help farmers protect their investments and maximize productivity.
The Parish Development Model is a government strategy aimed at improving household incomes and accelerating socio-economic transformation by extending financial and technical support to beneficiaries through parish-based SACCOs. Across the country, ONC monitoring teams continue to track the performance of funded projects, document success stories, and strengthen accountability in the utilization of public funds.