Uganda Tackles Low Irrigation Uptake with New Inter-Ministerial Team

Minister of Agriculture, Frank Tumwebaze, has highlighted a critical challenge facing Uganda’s agricultural sector: the minimal adoption of irrigation technologies. He noted that a mere fraction, less than two percent, of the country’s arable land is under irrigation, despite its proven ability to significantly enhance crop yields and overall farm productivity.

This low uptake is seen as a major impediment to making Ugandan agriculture more robust and resilient, especially in the face of increasingly unpredictable weather patterns and unreliable rainfall. The minister’s concerns were voiced following a review meeting with the Ministry of Water and Environment.

To improve coordination and streamline efforts, an inter-ministerial working committee on water for production and irrigation planning has been established. This joint committee will convene monthly to track progress, identify bottlenecks, and strategize on expanding irrigation infrastructure and water-for-production initiatives.

The move is part of a broader government strategy to decrease reliance on rain-fed agriculture, a system that leaves many farmers susceptible to the adverse effects of droughts and erratic weather, often leading to crop failures and food insecurity.

Through this collaborative approach, the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Water and Environment aim to ensure that investments in water infrastructure directly contribute to tangible increases in agricultural output and farmer incomes. They will jointly monitor ongoing projects, pinpoint implementation gaps, and enhance future investment planning to accelerate the adoption of irrigation across the nation.

This initiative underscores the government’s commitment to modernizing the sector and building a more climate-resilient agricultural economy for Uganda.