Gov't ready to transform the Agriculture sector

Government is committed to transforming agriculture from subsistence farming which is characterized with low-productivity and low incomes to commercial farming so as to take the country to a middle income country.

This was revealed by the permanent secretary in the ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries, Pius Wakabi Kasajja, at a two day meeting to develop a strategy to attract and increase investments in the country's agricultural sector.

"We aim to transform agriculture in Uganda from subsistence to commercial farming. It holds the greatest potential for attaining inclusive economic growth, employment creation and boosting local, regional and international trade," said Kasajja.

Wakabi addressing participants

He said that agriculture is still a major force to Uganda's poverty reduction, economic growth and economic development, contributing 24 percent of the national GDP and 52 percent of total exports earnings in the financial year 2015/16.

Areas of focus to increase production according to Wakabi is promotion of Value chain developments of the twelve priority crops that have been identified by the ministry for commercial purposes.
 
These include bananas, beans, maize, rice, cassava, tea, coffee, fruits and vegetables, dairy, fish, livestock (meat), and four strategic commodities, namely, cocoa, cotton, oil seeds, and oil palm.

He added that these are some of the plans government has to actualize some of the commitments made by heads of state to transform Africa's Agriculture.


The meeting was also aimed at aligning the plan to the continental Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) whose biennial review inaugural report that will be presented to heads of state in January 2018, at the AU Assembly.

 

The meeting was organized in partnership with the Africa Union Commission and the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) Agency and Agreen Revolution in Africa (AGRA) at the Sheraton Kampala Hotel.

 

Uganda is the third country after Kenya and Nigeria among African countries that signed the Malabo declarations in revamping their National Agricultural investment Plans (NAIPs) and linking them to the CAADP (Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme) process.

 

Ernest Ruzindana from the Africa Union said NAIPs are the central tool for implementing the AU's CAADP, as they translate country aspirations into an evidence-based plan with clear targets, budgets and mutual accountability.

 

"We all have a key role to play in energizing the agriculture sector in Uganda in a bid to ensure food security in this country, create employment and accelerate the growth of the country's economy," said Ruzindaza.

 

The CAADP Malabo commitments include increase public sector spending on agriculture while embracing reforms that will attract more investments from domestic and foreign private sector.