Masindi councillors raise concern over unspent Shs 392mln for micro-irrigation programme

MASINDI, October 11, 2025 — Councillors in Masindi district have raised serious concerns over the unspent sum of Shs 392 million allocated for micro-irrigation systems for smallholder farmers.

The funds were part of the Uganda Government Intergovernmental Fiscal Transfers [UGIFT] Programme aimed at supporting farmers through improved access to micro-scale irrigation equipment. Councillors voiced their concerns during a district council sitting held on Wednesday at the district headquarters.

The Shs 392 million was part of a larger amount [Shs 2.2 billion] that was returned to the national treasury at the end of the 2024/2025 financial year. Other swept funds included Shs 1.5bln for salaries, Shs 274mln for pensions, and Shs 31mln earmarked for the completion of the outpatient department at Kisalizi Health Centre II.

The issue was raised by Wahid Babyesiza, the councillor representing Labongo Sub-county, after Kassim Kabagonza, the Leader of Government Business, presented a report indicating that although the funds were swept, a re-vote request had been submitted to the Ministry of Finance.

“Due to delays in implementing last year’s projects, some funds were returned. However, a formal request has been made to the Ministry of Finance, and we are awaiting their response,” Kabagonza explained.

Babyesiza pressed for more clarity on the circumstances under which the funds were swept and why project implementation had been delayed.

“Many farmers had shown interest in the irrigation systems and were ready to take them up. Why are they being denied this opportunity?” he questioned.

In response, Finance Secretary Pamela Nyakato and District Council Speaker Moses Kiirya assured the council that the funds had been re-voted and would soon be returned to the district coffers.

Nyakato explained that the funds were swept due to procedural delays: “The implementation of micro-irrigation projects involves a series of steps, including a co-funding commitment from farmers. The government contributes a percentage only after farmers fulfil their part.”

She also cited delays by the contractor as the reason for the slow completion of works at Kisalizi Health Centre II.

Background on the micro-irrigation programme

The Ugandan government, through the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries [MAAIF], allocated Shs 392 million for individual farmers in Masindi District to access micro-scale irrigation equipment at subsidised rates.

This initiative falls under the Micro-Scale Irrigation Programme, led by MAAIF’s Department of Agricultural Infrastructure, Mechanisation, and Water for Agricultural Production. The programme aims to promote the adoption of cost-effective irrigation technologies to improve agricultural productivity and livelihoods.

Speaking to farmers on May 22, 2024 at the district headquarters, Edina Kamuregeya, the programme’s focal point person in Masindi, said the funds were part of the 2024/25 financial year allocation to support farmers through a co-funding arrangement.

Supported by the World Bank, the programme aligns with Uganda’s National Irrigation Policy, which aims to expand irrigated land by 2040.

Under this scheme, the government contributes between 25 percent and 75 percent of the total cost of irrigation equipment, with a cap of Shs 7.2mln per acre. For instance, to irrigate one acre, a farmer might pay between Shs 2mln and Shs 8mln depending on their farm’s condition and the chosen equipment. For 2.5 acres, the cost ranges from Shs 5mln to Shs 20mln.

Kamuregeya noted that in the previous financial year, the government was prepared to support only 25 farmers due to limited funding. However, only nine farmers managed to meet the required 25 percent co-funding, while the remaining 16 were still struggling to raise the amount.

To qualify for the programme, a farmer must be located within 700 metres of a water source. The initiative specifically targets smallholder farmers who are ready to transition from subsistence to commercial agriculture.

https://thecooperator.news/masindi-soybean-farmers-form-cooperative-for-economic-empowerment/

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