LIRA CITY, May 25, 2026 — The National Oilseeds Project [NOSP] is targeting 120,000 smallholder farmers across Uganda, according to programme implementers.
Funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development [IFAD], the OPEC Fund for International Development [OFID], and other development partners, the US$ 160.847 million seven-year project is operating in 81 districts across the country.
The project’s main objective is to accelerate the commercialisation of key oilseed value chains and, in turn, improve the livelihoods and resilience of smallholder farmers engaged in oilseed production and marketing.
Emmanuel Moses Tukei, the Project Agronomist at the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), said the project prioritises oilseed crops such as sunflower and simsim due to their high value and growing demand.
Under its infrastructure development component, the project also plans to rehabilitate 2,500 kilometres of community access roads, benefiting an estimated 356,000 rural households.
Speaking during a project review meeting at Komar Hotel in Lira City, Tukei said the initiative has so far reached 56,082 households with extension services out of the targeted number of farmers.
He added that 200 tractors had been procured to support farmers, while climate-resilient farming practices were being promoted through extension and agronomy services.
“We are looking at technologies and practices that enhance high yields and improve the dissemination of weather-related information. We have also supported the National Agricultural Research Organisation and Makerere University to ensure year-round seed production to meet current demand,” he said during the review meeting.
Tukei further noted that NOSP intends to reach 4,600 farmer groups. In the first year of implementation, however, the project reached only 2,167 groups, leaving a gap of 2,443 groups yet to be covered.
He said MAAIF is working with researchers and off-takers to promote local seed varieties. He added that multiplication gardens for the Sunpola sunflower variety had already been established and were expected to improve the availability of quality seed for farmers.
David Ebong Abongo, a former Member of Parliament who is now a farmer, said there is a premium market for oilseeds in Europe, but farmers and exporters need to better understand export specifications.
“We need to understand the market specifications and align ourselves to them,” he said.
Abongo also emphasised the importance of digitalising farmers to increase production and reduce risks. According to him, digital platforms make it easier for farmers to access financial services without physically visiting banks.
“It is easier because a farmer makes an order today, the bank approves the loan, and the supplier delivers,” he added.
He urged farmers to embrace technology, warning that without modernisation, Uganda’s farmers would continue struggling to produce competitively for export markets.
Abongo further revealed that 42 storage facilities and bulking centres established by the Ministry of Agriculture in the Lango sub-region are currently underutilised, operating at less than 10 per cent capacity.
David Apunyo from Dokolo District said the main sunflower buyers in the sub-region are Mukwano Group and Mount Meru Group, while groundnuts and sesame are mainly purchased by local traders.
He added that access to quality seeds remains a major challenge and called for urgent intervention to boost production.
Auditor General’s report
According to the latest Auditor General’s report on the project, NOSP was in its fourth year of operation as of June 30, 2025, with three years remaining before completion. The report noted sluggish disbursement of funds to beneficiaries.
Out of the expected total disbursement of Shs 196.17 billion, cumulative disbursements as of June 30, 2025, stood at Shs 60.14bln, leaving a balance of Shs 136.03bln.
Of the funds disbursed, Shs 41.98bln had been absorbed, leaving a balance of Shs 18.16bln still held in the project’s bank account.
https://thecooperator.news/nosp-to-construct-2500km-of-community-roads-in-lango-and-teso/
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