The Parish Development Model (PDM) has reached 3,571,108 beneficiaries after the government invested Shs4.317 trillion in the Parish Revolving Fund to support household enterprises and accelerate the transition from subsistence production to the money economy.
The funds have been channelled through 10,589 PDM Savings and Credit Cooperative Organisations (SACCOs), with each SACCO receiving at least Shs400 million over the four-year period.
Under the programme, beneficiaries can access loans of up to Shs1 million at an interest rate of six per cent per annum, repayable over three years, including a two-year grace period.
The figures were presented during an inter-ministerial meeting on PDM implementation chaired by the Minister of State for Microfinance, Shartsi Musherure, at the Ministry of Finance.
The meeting brought together ministers and technical officials responsible for the seven PDM pillars to assess implementation, improve coordination and identify reforms to strengthen sustainability, accountability and the programme’s impact on households.
According to the Ministry of Finance’s Financial Inclusion Pillar report, adults aged between 31 and 59 years constitute the largest proportion of beneficiaries at 1,946,086 (54.50 per cent).
They are followed by youth aged 18 to 30 years at 1,086,998 (30.44 per cent), while elderly people aged above 60 years account for 538,024 (15.07 per cent).
Women make up the majority of beneficiaries, with 1,924,188 (53.88 per cent), compared with 1,646,920 men (46.12 per cent).
The report also indicates that the Financial Inclusion Pillar has recorded 222,389 enterprise groups, of which 183,430 have been profiled on the PDM Information System.
The government is using digital systems to improve transparency, tracking and accountability in the programme.
The Integrated Financial Management System transfers funds to PDM SACCO accounts, while the PDM Information System registers eligible beneficiaries.
Wendi, managed by Pearl Bank, disburses loans directly to beneficiaries’ mobile phones, while Zaidi provides real-time tracking and verification.
The government has also recruited 14,133 Wendi agents and distributed 27,100 tablets to support registration and monitoring.
The Minister of State for National Guidance, Alion Yorke Odria, commended cooperation among ministries and proposed using government agencies and regional radio platforms to strengthen public sensitisation on loan repayment, programme updates and policy changes.
The Minister of State for Animal Industry, Bright Rwamirama, said the government had registered 645 premises handling agricultural chemicals and seeds as part of efforts to curb counterfeit agricultural inputs.
He also said the government had procured and distributed 50.6 million doses of Foot and Mouth Disease vaccines and established solar-powered cold-chain facilities in 53 districts.
The report shows that by June 2026, PDM beneficiaries had invested Shs425.27 billion in poultry, Shs461.12 billion in piggery and Shs453.52 billion in coffee.
However, the Minister of Local Government, Barugahara Balaam, called for stronger accountability in the programme and warned against extortion, illegal charges, favouritism, political interference, fraud and diversion of PDM funds.
He urged local government officials to take ownership of implementation and ensure that the programme’s success is measured through increased production, savings, value addition, market access, enterprise growth and improved household incomes.
The Minister of State for Gender and Culture, Mary Kamuli Kuteesa, emphasised the need to prepare beneficiaries before loan disbursement, strengthen training, involve political leaders in monitoring and improve follow-up after training.
PDM National Coordinator Dennis Galabuzi said the programme was moving towards a coordinated, whole-of-government approach organised around value chains, covering inputs, production, storage, electricity, processing, value addition and markets.
