Uganda’s dream of becoming a regional agricultural powerhouse will remain difficult to achieve unless the country strengthens the link between research institutions, extension services, farmers and markets, agriculture sector leaders have warned.
The warning was made during the AGRA@20 Uganda Country Celebration held at Kampala Serena Hotel, where government officials, researchers, private sector players, farmers’ organisations and development partners assessed Uganda’s agricultural progress and outlined priorities for the next phase of agricultural transformation.
Experts said Uganda has made significant strides in agricultural research, including the development of improved crop varieties and farming technologies, but weak extension services, low adoption of innovations, post-harvest losses and unreliable markets continue to limit farmers’ productivity and incomes.
“Agricultural extension is the bridge between research and transformation,” said Dr Patience Rwamigisa, Commissioner for Extension Coordination at the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries.
He said Uganda had developed several agricultural technologies and models, but the challenge remained ensuring that knowledge generated in research institutions reaches farmers and is effectively applied in their fields.
The discussions reviewed AGRA’s two decades of work in Uganda and explored how partnerships between government, researchers, private companies and farmers can accelerate agricultural commercialisation.
AGRA Uganda Country Director David Wozemba Wetaka said Africa’s agricultural transformation must be driven by local innovation, institutions and sustained investment rather than imported solutions.
“The continent cannot import agricultural transformation. We must build it through African science, institutions and investment in farmers,” Wetaka said.
He noted that while Uganda had registered progress, much more needed to be done to complete the transformation journey.
Prof. Benard Bashasha of Makerere University said the country still faces a major productivity challenge, with many farmers achieving only a fraction of the yields possible using available technologies.
He estimated that the gap between potential and actual yields for several commodities stood at about 70 per cent.
Bashasha argued that previous agricultural interventions had focused heavily on the “hardware” of transformation, including improved seeds, fertilisers and climate-smart technologies, while paying less attention to the “software” required to help farmers use those innovations effectively.
“The software of agricultural transformation is extension, farmer education and the systems that help farmers use technology effectively,” he said.
He called for increased investment in farmer education, stronger cooperatives and expertise across the agricultural value chain, including food science, agricultural economics, extension and policy development.
Bashasha also cautioned that increased production alone would not translate into improved farmer incomes unless farmers had reliable markets and solutions to reduce post-harvest losses.
Dr Sadik Kasimu, Deputy Director General at the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO), said sustainable productivity growth would require simultaneous investment in soil health, water management, crop and animal health, improved varieties and better farming practices.
He said climate change was increasing production risks, making investments in irrigation, water harvesting, drought-tolerant varieties and moisture-retention technologies increasingly important.
Kasimu added that agricultural research must also respond to industry needs by developing crop varieties that meet the requirements of processors such as millers, breweries and bakeries.
Meanwhile, Uganda has recorded progress in strengthening its seed systems, with NARO Holdings Limited reporting increased capacity to supply early-generation seed.
Chief Executive Officer Chris Muwanika said the organisation now meets more than 90 per cent of demand for early-generation seed for crops including beans and maize following reforms supported by AGRA.
He said Uganda’s public-private seed model was attracting interest from countries including Ethiopia and Rwanda, but emphasised that research must be commercialised to create meaningful impact for farmers.
Market access was also highlighted as a major factor affecting agricultural growth.
Collins Amanya, Assistant Commissioner for Planning at MAAIF, said smallholder farmers needed to organise through cooperatives and aggregation systems to achieve the volumes required by large buyers and secure better prices.
He added that traceability systems would become increasingly important as buyers demand information about production standards and the origin of agricultural products.
Amanya also urged Uganda’s diplomatic missions to play a bigger role in identifying and opening international markets for local agricultural products.
AGRA’s review of its Uganda programmes indicates that the organisation has supported 49 master’s and 20 doctoral students in plant breeding and soil science, contributing to the release of 59 crop varieties, with 56 commercialised.
The organisation says its programmes have reached more than 427,000 farmers with information on value chains, mechanisation services, insurance and market prices.
AGRA has also supported seven seed companies, 440 aggregation centres and credit guarantee programmes that unlocked US$25 million in financing for more than 50,000 farmers.
Under its Uganda strategy for 2024–2028, AGRA is prioritising stronger seed systems, inclusive markets and trade, sustainable agriculture, and improved policy and institutional capacity.
Wetaka said the next phase of agricultural development must focus on connecting farmers to markets, finance, technology and investment opportunities to ensure research translates into improved livelihoods.
