Agriculture officials pledge to deliver on middle income status

Photos by Francis Emorut

The top managers of the ministry of agriculture, animal industry and fisheries (MAAIF) have pledged to deliver in the sector so as to lead the country in achieving the middle income status.

This is after the ministry's top officials who are scientists by training underwent leadership and change management training at Civil Service College Uganda in Jinja.

"The training was designed to get critical mass leaders in agriculture to deliver the aspirations of the country moving the 68% in subsistence farming to the money economy," Okaasai Opolot the director of crop resource said.

"This is the first time the permanent secretary is allowing top managers to undergo training in leadership and change management," he said.

Okaasai explained that his ministry is determined to encourage farmers to engage in production for commercial purposes and this will increase exports and income at household level and will inevitably cause the country to attain middle income status by 2020.

He rapped critics who are against army involvement in the distribution of agricultural inputs through Operation Wealth Creation (OWC) saying they are among the agencies for the ministry but other agencies like National Agriculture Research Organisation (NARO) and National Agriculture Advisory Services (NAADS) also play their critical roles.

Speaking on behalf of participants Connie Masaba, the project manager of Vegetable Oil Development Project said as leaders at the ministry they are committed to transform the country from the peasantry society to middle income status.

"We would like to see farmers using new methods of farming and make money. We are going to ensure we get things done and overcome bureaucracy," Masaba said.

She reminded her fellow top managers to be leaders who are transparent, competent and trustworthy and committed to work as a team.

The project manager emphasized that people who are living in abject poverty and struggling with life need to be helped.

"We have a good reason to change their status and ensure that the agricultural sector is transformed," she said.

The participants were taken through topics such as anchoring change in culture, characteristics of bureaucratic public sector, how to replace old practices with new ones and building change plan among others.

Frederick Anyiine programme manager leadership and management development said leadership capacity development is critical in transforming the agriculture sector.
He urged participants to use the knowledge and skills gained to improve service delivery in the country.

According to Jane Mwesiga the commissioner of human resource at the ministry of agriculture the top officials who attended training included heads of directorates, departments, commissioners and district production officers and others.