French Ambassador highlights agriculture's role in Uganda's future at Harvest Money Expo

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Virginie Leroy, the Ambassador of France to Uganda, has emphasised the vital role agriculture plays in Uganda's development, touching on food security, affordability, quality, and its wider economic impact.

Leroy highlighted that agriculture not only addresses food security but also drives value addition, creates jobs, builds resilience to climate change, and supports livelihoods, environmental protection, and biodiversity.

She pointed to Uganda’s immense potential in agriculture, noting that it can serve as a cornerstone for the country's future economic growth.

Speaking to the New Vision at the Harvest Money Expo in Kampala, Leroy praised Uganda’s tenfold growth strategy under the National Development Plan IV (NDPIV), which was launched in 2024.

The strategy aims to transition the country’s economy by 2040 through agro-industrialisation, manufacturing expansion, and increased tourism revenue.

The overarching goal is to move labour from low-productivity agriculture to higher-productivity services and manufacturing, targeting a 5.1% growth in agricultural productivity and increasing tourism revenue to $5 billion annually within the next four years.

Leroy emphasised the creation of jobs, improvement of livelihoods, and the opportunity to feed Ugandans and export agricultural products across Africa and beyond.

"As ambassador, I hope Uganda can benefit from the experience of European countries, as we are the top food exporters in the world," Leroy said.

She also encouraged Ugandan companies to participate in the Africa Forward Summit scheduled for May 11-12, 2026, in Nairobi. The summit, hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron and Kenyan President William Ruto, will feature a one-day business forum with leading French companies and African nations, offering Ugandan businesses an opportunity to expand into both regional and global markets.

Leroy was among the ambassadors hosted at the 2026 Harvest Money Expo by the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Frederieke Quispel, at the Kololo Ceremonial Grounds in Kampala.

Ambassador Quispel, who has been a key supporter of the expo, added that there is significant potential for deeper collaboration between Uganda and the Netherlands to further strengthen the agricultural sector.

The Harvest Money Expo is being held at the Kololo Grounds in Kampala from February 27 to March 1, 2026, under the theme “farming as a business.”

The expo is supported by key sponsors, including the Kingdom of Netherlands, ENGSOL, Tunga Nutrition, aBi, Pearl Bank, Pepsi, and the Uganda Development Corporation. Other notable sponsors include Heifer International, Roke Telecom, the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries (MAAIF), and the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA).