The Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Henry Musasizi Ariganyira, has urged women entrepreneurs in Rubanda District to assess business costs, projected profits and market demand before investing to ensure sustainable income generation.
Musasizi made the remarks on Friday while officiating at the graduation of about 300 women who completed a 12-day training in various economic skills under the Generating Growth Opportunities and Productivity for Women Enterprises (GROW) Project at the Uganda National Institute for Teacher Education (UNITE) campus in Kabale Municipality.
Minister Musasizi advised the women to calculate the capital, inputs and other expenses required to establish their businesses and compare them with the expected returns to minimise losses and improve profitability.
“If you are going to grow beans, Irish potatoes or matooke, first estimate the seed capital and other inputs you will need against the expected profit,” Musasizi said.
He said President Yoweri Museveni was encouraging Ugandans to participate in the money economy by engaging in productive activities that improve household incomes and livelihoods.
Musasizi also urged residents to maximise the use of the limited land available around their homes through intensive agriculture, saying even small plots could generate income if properly utilised.
He noted that the average landholding in Kigezi is about 0.8 acres, requiring residents to adopt productive farming practices to improve their livelihoods.
The minister advised farmers to divide their land into sections for growing different crops, particularly those that mature within a short period, and combine crop production with livestock farming to diversify their income sources.
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Musasizi said he would propose to the relevant authorities that women who have acquired practical business skills be prioritised when allocating government funds intended to support wealth creation.
He said linking financial support to relevant training would help beneficiaries invest in enterprises they understand, improve their chances of success and ensure public funds are put to productive use.
“For instance, those who have received training in salon and hairdressing could also benefit from Emyooga, while PDM funds could prioritise those trained in agribusiness,” he said.
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The Rubanda West County Member of Parliament, Bruce Balaba Kabaasa, applauded the GROW Project team for equipping women with practical skills that could contribute to household development and community transformation. He also urged the women to maintain proper hygiene in their homes and prioritise the education of their children.
The Rubanda District Woman Member of Parliament, Evelyn Ninsiima Kikafunda, urged the graduates to apply the skills acquired during the training to improve their household incomes and transform their families.
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The GROW Project Coordinator Dr. Ruth Aisha Biyinzika Kasolo, said the programme would continue monitoring the progress of the trained women and exploring ways to support their economic empowerment.
She urged the graduates to put their newly acquired skills to use, generate income and improve their livelihoods.
Kasolo said each participant had been profiled to facilitate the tracking of their progress and assess the impact of the training.
Rubanda District Speaker Mary Waguma Tushemerierwe, who represented the District LC5 chairperson, Stephen Ampeire Kasyaba, called for continued support to the beneficiaries so they could extend the programme’s benefits to women in sub-counties across the district.
Judith Byoruganda called for funding to establish demonstration gardens in every sub-county to enable women to put their agricultural skills into practice and share knowledge with other community members.
The Rubanda District Women Council chairperson, Kyarikunda Matilda, cautioned the graduates against leaving their newly acquired skills unused.
She urged them to become ambassadors of the GROW Project by applying the knowledge gained and training other women in their communities.
The Generating Growth Opportunities and Productivity for Women Enterprises (GROW) Project is a five-year government initiative running from 2022 to December 2027.
Supported by a $217 million World Bank grant, the project seeks to address longstanding barriers facing women-owned enterprises by improving access to affordable financing and entrepreneurial services, while supporting the growth of micro and small businesses.
