Government Sets Sights on Mechanised Agriculture for 5-Year Agenda

The Ugandan government is rolling out an ambitious agenda to prioritise mechanised agriculture as a core driver of rural transformation and increased production over the next five years. Hon. Frank Tumwebaze, the Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, revealed that heavy reliance on human labour and unpredictable weather remains the sector’s biggest hurdle.

Addressing Parliament during a plenary session, Tumwebaze explained that shifting towards modern machinery will allow farmers to cultivate larger tracts of land efficiently, boost value addition, and spur job creation. To bridge the current arable land utilisation gap, the government plans to distribute 10,000 tractors within the next five years. This strategy relies on establishing 21 mechanisation centres alongside a cost-sharing model involving the state, commercial farmers, and producer cooperatives.

Since 2018, the ministry has already distributed over 1,000 assorted tractors and numerous single-axle walk-behind tractors to various groups and institutions. Furthermore, thousands of technicians have undergone training at the Namalere Mechanisation Centre to ensure the proper handling and maintenance of these heavy assets.

In addition to mechanisation, the government is tackling erratic weather patterns through expanded irrigation initiatives. Working alongside the Ministry of Water and Environment, the agriculture ministry has proposed the nationwide National Irrigation Development Project (NIDEP) to secure both food and income stability. Already, 10 large-scale irrigation schemes have been completed—including Doho II, Ngenge, and Mubuku II—adding thousands of hectares of formally irrigated land.

Touching on financial inclusion, Tumwebaze noted the positive impact of the Parish Development Model (PDM), which has injected trillions of shillings into parish SACCOs to uplift smallholder households. Meanwhile, medium and large-scale producers continue to receive support through the broader Agriculture Value Chain Development Strategy. Recent figures show the sector’s GDP contribution rising to 26.2 percent, driving roughly 40 percent of Uganda’s total export earnings.

Read the full report on Parliament of Uganda.