A poultry farmer in Kitukutwe Village, Kira Municipality, has expanded his enterprise from a small startup of 200 chicks into a thriving agribusiness with more than 7,000 chickens within three years.
The achievement was highlighted during a monitoring visit by the Manager of the Office of the National Chairman (ONC), Hajjat Hadijah Namyalo Uzeiye, who assessed the progress of beneficiaries under the ONC empowerment programme.
During the visit, Namyalo met Waswa Abdul Karim Tamale, one of 127 beneficiaries who received startup support from ONC in 2023. As part of the initiative, Waswa received 200 chicks and poultry feed to help establish his poultry project.
“I started with 200 chicks, and today I have over 7,000 chickens. The enterprise now earns me about Shs12 million every 35 days, which has greatly improved my household income,” Waswa said.
He attributed the growth of the farm to discipline, hard work, and proper management of the resources he received.
Located on two acres of land, the farm combines poultry production with crop farming, with Waswa growing maize for poultry feed and maintaining a banana plantation to diversify his income sources.
He also uses poultry manure as organic fertiliser for the banana plantation, a practice he says has improved soil fertility and reduced farming costs.
The expanding enterprise has created employment opportunities for residents, with the farm currently supporting 16 workers, including five permanent employees involved in poultry management and 11 others engaged in various farm activities.
“The support enabled me to build a sustainable source of income, improve my livelihood, and provide for my family,” Waswa said.
During the visit, Hajjat Namyalo commended Waswa for effectively utilising the support and described the project as an example of how empowerment programmes can help households transition into commercial production.
“His achievement demonstrates the impact of wealth-creation initiatives aimed at transitioning households from subsistence production to the money economy,” Namyalo said.
Waswa said he plans to expand into layer chicken production and acquire additional equipment to improve efficiency, particularly a feed-mixing machine that would help reduce production costs.
In response, Namyalo pledged support towards acquiring a feed-mixing machine to strengthen the farmer’s operations.
Waswa said the poultry business has enabled him to improve his family’s welfare, including paying school fees for his children and raising household income.
Namyalo also encouraged young people to consider agriculture as a viable business opportunity, noting that properly managed enterprises can create employment and improve livelihoods.
The monitoring exercise is part of ONC’s efforts to track the progress of beneficiaries, document outcomes of empowerment programmes, and promote productive use of support aimed at improving household incomes.