Launched in February, 2022 by President Yoweri Museveni in 2022 Kibuku District in Bukedi Sub-region.Parish Development Model (PDM) a multi-sectoral strategy to create socio-economic transformation by moving 39% households out of subsistence economy into the money economy using the Parish as the epicenter for development has reached 3,571,108 beneficiaries.
The overarching goal of the PDM is to attain socioeconomic transformation based on improved productivity on households and enterprises at parish level.
PDM National Coordinator Dennis Galabuzi told this website that government capitalized Parish Revolving Fund with shs 4.317 trillion to support household enterprises and accelerate Uganda’s transition from subsistence production to the money economy.
He said the funds have been channeled through 10,589 PDM Savings and Credit Cooperative Organizations.
“Each SACCO has received at least shs 400 million over the four-year period. Beneficiaries can access loans of up to shs1 million at an interest rate of 6% per annum, repayable over three years, including a two-year grace period,”Galabuzi stated.
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.
He said the next phase would focus on translating these interventions into increased household incomes. He also called for a joint PDM Cabinet paper to address extortion, bribery, fraud, rural loan recovery, capitalisation and population equalisation.
According to the Ministry of Finance’s Financial Inclusion Pillar report, adults aged 31-59 years form the largest share of beneficiaries at 1,946,086, or 54.50%, followed by youth aged 18-30 years at 1,086,998, or 30.44%, and elderly persons aged above 60 years at 538,024, or 15.07%.
Women account for the majority of beneficiaries, with 1,924,188 women, or 53.88%, compared to 1,646,920 men, or 46.12%.
The report further indicates that the program has reached 41,423 persons with disabilities, representing 1.16% of beneficiaries. An additional 500,000-shilling grant per person with a disability was introduced in fiscal year 2025/26 to supplement PDM loan support.
Minister of State for National Guidance Alion Yorke Odria commended cooperation among ministries and proposed using government agencies and Vision Group’s regional radio platforms to strengthen public sensitization on loan repayment, program updates and policy changes.
He reaffirmed the Ministry of ICT’s commitment to integrating PDM systems and ensuring that they remain responsive to program needs and policy changes.
Minister of State for Animal Industry Bright Rwamirama said the government has registered 645 premises handling agricultural chemicals and seeds to reduce counterfeit inputs. He also said the government has procured and distributed 50.6 million foot-and-mouth disease vaccine doses and established solar-powered cold-chain facilities in 53 districts.
As of June 2026, PDM beneficiaries had invested shs 425.27 billion in poultry, 461.12 billion shillings in piggery and 453.52 billion shillings in coffee, according to the Financial Inclusion Pillar report.
Minister of Local Government Barugahara Balaam called for stronger accountability and warned against extortion, illegal charges, favoritism, political interference, fraud and diversion of PDM funds.
He urged Local Government officials to take ownership of implementation and ensure that success is measured through increased production, savings, value addition, market access, enterprise growth and improved household incomes.
Minister of State for Gender and Culture Mary Kamuli Kuteesa emphasised the need to prepare beneficiaries before disbursement, strengthen training, involve political leaders in monitoring and improve follow-up after training.
