Legislators press gov’t on agricultural support for rural farmers

KAMPALA, August 14, 2026 — Legislators debating a motion to appreciate President Yoweri Museveni for his clear and precise exposition of government policy in the State of the Nation Address [SONA] delivered to Parliament on June 4, 2026, have called for improved access to agricultural support for Ugandan farmers to enable them to improve their livelihoods.

Gulu City Woman Representative Betty Aol raised concerns over the inequitable distribution of animals to the Acholi sub-region under the government’s restocking programme. She said the five animals allocated per household are being given to only a few individuals each quarter in the sub-region.

Aol said residents depend on animals such as oxen to plough their gardens because of limited access to mechanised agricultural inputs such as tractors. She noted that the limited access to the restocking programme had significantly affected farmers.

“Right now, poverty is going up because my people cannot go into commercialisation of agriculture. While the President talked about ‘kisanja hakuna kulala’, where he wants resources to reach the grassroots, he has started late,” Aol said on Tuesday during a plenary session chaired by Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa.

In his address, Museveni reiterated the government’s policy of promoting intensive agriculture for individuals with small pieces of land and extensive agriculture for those with larger pieces of land.

Otuke District Woman Representative Susan Abeja urged the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries to provide coffee seedlings to farmers during the appropriate planting season, noting that they are often supplied during the dry season.

“We are yearning to promote coffee in Otuke District, but we have a challenge of drought. I call on the government to support our farmers with low-financing irrigation systems and also carry out regional mapping to identify which coffee varieties are suitable for our soils,” Abeja said.

Rose Obigah, the Terego District Woman Representative, called for urgent intervention to address flooding that she said has affected crops in Imvepi Refugee Settlement.

“WaterAid tried to construct a project for agricultural water production, but they touched the water table. The water has now flooded farms in Imvepi. I ask the responsible minister to come to Terego and rein in the situation,” Obigah said.

The State Minister for Animal Industry, Bright Rwamirama, told the House that the contractor had abandoned the water project at Imvepi, but said efforts were under way to restore it.

“We are very aware of that case, and our technical people are on the ground together with officials from the Ministry of Water, and the problem is being solved. We are working on a programme approach with the Ministry of Water and the Ministry of Local Government so that we can tackle the problems together,” Rwamirama said.

Terego East County MP Wilfred Babanga called on the government to support the district with equipment to promote mechanised agriculture, including in refugee settlements.

“If we are to participate in the expanded economy of this country, our people need to be supported with a tractor in every sub-county so that they can till the land and meaningfully participate in economic transformation,” Babanga said.

During his State of the Nation Address, Museveni said the issue of irrigation across the country was being addressed to stabilise the agricultural sector.

He cited the development of micro, solar-powered irrigation schemes in partnership with British group Nexus Green.

“As we speak, they have worked with government to put solar-powered irrigation systems in the districts of Ngora, Serere, Bukedea, Amolatar, Kwania, Apac, Kasanda, Masaka and Mukono. We have told Ugandans that our economy has potential in four sectors: commercial agriculture, manufacturing, services and ICT,” Museveni said.

https://thecooperator.news/afdb-launches-project-to-boost-agriculture-in-sudan/

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