UFAAS, partners commit to streamline operations of extension service providers

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Stakeholders who recently attended the Uganda National Extension Week 2026 unanimously agreed that streamlining the operations of extension service providers remains vital to the success of the sector.

Speaking during the closing ceremony of the 5-day conference held at Silver Springs Hotel, Bugolobi, Beatrice Luzobe, chief executive officer of UFAAS, noted that amplifying their role will enable last-mile farmers to benefit.

“Of course, the issue of fewer extension workers versus farmers is not a new thing; it’s not only a challenge for Uganda, by the way, actually ours is even better, one extension worker to one thousand farmers. In other countries, according to participants at the forum, the ratio is 1-10,000 farmers, which is dire,” Luzobe noted.

She added that it is also important to adopt new digitisation models which allow for farmers to form groups which then makes it easier for extension service providers to access them.

Tonny Ojok, a Technical Program Manager for Livelihoods and Economic Empowerment, described the week as an opportunity for them to design a strategic partnership to ensure that they strengthen working around promoting the National Agriculture Extension.

He explained that the week was productive as it allowed the different stakeholders from the ministry of agriculture, partners and the local government to devise strategies to strengthen agriculture extension at the field level.

“While World Vision works with farmers, we actually provide a last-mile linkage for farmers to get advisory services. This forum has been a very important platform for us to learn. It is very important for us to even look at how WE have co-creation in future with UFAAS on other projects,” Ojok added.

Dr Lilian Lihasi, Executive Director of the African Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (AFAAS), commended UFAAS for successfully convening the week to highlight the need to tackle challenges affecting extension service providers.

“In the platform this week we have agreed that we can no longer work in silos and partners must be ready to work together. We have seen UFAAS sign MoU with key partners geared at strengthening working together.”

Lihasi stressed that without extension and advisory service, there is no transformation in the agri-food system which is dangerous to a sector that feeds millions across the region.

Participants during the closing of the Uganda National Agricultural Extension Week 2026 at Silver Springs Hotel in Bugolobi. (Courtesy)

The Uganda National Agricultural Extension Week 2026 (UGNAEW2026) was held at Silver Springs under the theme: Unlocking Uganda's Agricultural Potential: Multi-actor Agricultural Extension and Advisory services for Resilient, digital and Market-Oriented Agri-Food Ecosystems.”

The event was organised by the Uganda Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (UFAAS) in partnership with the African Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (AFAAS), the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), and other partners.