US launches agricultural maximization project

The US mission in Uganda has commenced an initiative to accelerate growth in the country's agricultural sector by encouraging partnerships between the public and private sectors that leverage the expertise of Uganda's leaders in agriculture.

President Yoweri Museveni and U.S. Ambassador to Uganda Deborah Malac presided over the launch of the project dubbed ‘Leveraging Excellence in Agricultural Development (LEAD)' at the Speke Resort in Munyonyo on Monday.

The LEAD project encourages collaboration among leaders in the public and private sectors to maximize Uganda's agricultural potential, according to a statement from the US embassy in Kampala.

"The program seeks to spark explosive growth in the agriculture sector by bringing together some of the Uganda's most-trusted, powerful, and well-known agricultural sector leaders to identify, discuss, and propose solutions to Uganda's most serious and deeply entrenched sector problems," it added.

In her remarks, Amb. Malac was quoted as saying, "It is our hope that participants in this inaugural program will identify ways to help remove policy and regulatory constraints in the agricultural sector, strengthen the capacity of the Ugandan Government to facilitate agricultural development and adaptation to climate change, and build the capacity of private sector and civil society organizations to help government implement sound policy choices. In short, we want to strengthen public-private cooperation."

The inaugural year of the program will engage 17 agricultural sector leaders - individuals committed to helping Uganda achieve its agricultural potential.

The program will leverage the wisdom, experience, and talent of these leaders to solve problems in the agriculture sector.

LEAD is part of the U.S. government's Enabling Environment for Agriculture Activity (EEAA), a five-year program that began in 2013, and an element of Feed the Future, President Obama's worldwide initiative to enhance food security and nutrition.

The activity aims to support the acceleration of Uganda's transition to a prosperous and modern country by helping to improve the enabling environment for agriculture production, trade, youth employment, and adaptation to climate change.