The Parish Development Model (PDM) has supported more than 3.5 million Ugandans after the government invested Shs 4.317 trillion in its revolving fund.
The programme seeks to help households establish businesses and move from subsistence farming into the money economy.
The government distributed the funds through 10,589 PDM Savings and Credit Cooperative Organisations. Each SACCO received at least Shs 400 million over four years.
Beneficiaries can borrow up to Shs 1 million at an annual interest rate of six per cent. They must repay the money within three years, including a two-year grace period.
The figures emerged during a PDM inter-ministerial meeting chaired by the Minister of State for Microfinance, Shartsi Musherure, at the Ministry of Finance.
Ministers and technical officers responsible for the programme’s seven pillars attended the meeting. They reviewed its implementation and discussed reforms to improve accountability, coordination and its effect on household incomes.
A Ministry of Finance report shows that adults aged between 31 and 59 form the largest group of beneficiaries. The programme has supported 1,946,086 people in this category, representing 54.5 per cent of the total.
Young people aged between 18 and 30 account for 1,086,998 beneficiaries, or 30.44 per cent. Another 538,024 beneficiaries, or 15.07 per cent, are aged above 60.
Women make up most of the beneficiaries. The programme has reached 1,924,188 women, representing 53.88 per cent, compared with 1,646,920 men, or 46.12 per cent.
The Financial Inclusion Pillar has registered 222,389 enterprise groups. Of these, 183,430 appear on the PDM Information System.
The government uses digital platforms to improve transparency and track the money. The Integrated Financial Management System transfers funds to PDM SACCO accounts, while the PDM Information System registers eligible beneficiaries.
Wendi, which Pearl Bank manages, sends loans to beneficiaries’ mobile phones. Zaidi supports real-time tracking and verification.
The government has recruited 14,133 Wendi agents and distributed 27,100 tablets for registration and monitoring.
The Minister of State for National Guidance, Alion Yorke Odria, praised cooperation among ministries. He proposed using government agencies and regional radio stations to educate the public about loan repayments, programme updates and policy changes.
The Minister of State for Animal Industry, Bright Rwamirama, said the government had registered 645 premises that handle agricultural chemicals and seeds. The measure seeks to reduce the sale of counterfeit farm inputs.
He said the government had also bought and distributed 50.6 million doses of foot-and-mouth disease vaccines. It also established solar-powered cold-chain facilities in 53 districts.
By June 2026, PDM beneficiaries had invested Shs 425.27 billion in poultry, Shs 461.12 billion in piggery and Shs 453.52 billion in coffee, according to the Financial Inclusion Pillar report.
The Minister of State for Local Government, Balaam Barugahara, called for stronger accountability. He warned officials against extortion, illegal charges, favouritism, political interference, fraud and the diversion of PDM funds.
Barugahara asked local government officials to take responsibility for the programme. He said its success should reflect increased production, savings, value addition, market access, business growth and household incomes.
The Minister of State for Gender and Culture, Mary Kamuli Kuteesa, called for better preparation of beneficiaries before they receive funds. She also asked the government to strengthen training, involve political leaders in monitoring and improve follow-up support.
PDM national coordinator Dennis Galabuzi said the programme was adopting a coordinated, whole-of-government approach. The plan will cover value chains from farm inputs and production to storage, electricity, processing, value addition and markets.
