Agency For

Transformati
on
www.agencyft.org
Morrison Rwakakamba
C.E.O
mrwakakamba@agencyft.org

Introduction
The seven political parties that participated in this
years presidential elections are the ruling party

NRM, Peoples Progressive Party

(PPP), Forum for Democratic Change
(FDC), Uganda Peoples Congress
(UPC), Democratic Party (DP), Uganda
Federal Alliance (UFA), and the
Peoples Development Party (PDP)
Independent Samuel Lubega- not part of
ACODE analysis. His Manifesto was never
availed.

The Issues
A:

Agriculture Sector Financing:

UPC, DP, PDP and UFA 15%; FDC
12%, PPP- Non committal ; NRM
Non Committal (Multispectral
approach in line with DSIP)
Caveat:
The Maputo declaration
(10%) fixation by pro-farmer advocates
in Uganda (Allocative vis avis
implementation efficiency)

Issues contnd

Agricultural

inputs (like fertilizers,

pesticides and improved seed), UPC, FDC
and PPP promised to provide such inputs to
farmers at subsidized prices. Not specific on
nature and scale of subsidy
NRM: Support 6 market-oriented model
farmers, 3 commercial model farmers and
100 food security farmers per parish per
year
DP, PDP and, UFA Non- Committal
Caveat: Is provision of free inputs the
way to go or rather provision should
be for collective public services?

Issues Continued
Agricultural

Credit

FDC- Establish an agricultural bank

PDP- Establish an agricultural bank
DP- Establish an agricultural bank and encourage the
growth of micro-credit financial institutions
UPC-Re-establish cooperative banking and encourage the
growth of micro-credit financial institutions
NRM- Increase agricultural credit through partnerships with
private financial institutions, promote agricultural insurance,
and establish a Commercialization Challenge Fund
PPP- Provide easy access to affordable credit
UFA- Non Committal
Caveat: Governmental approach vis--vis Private
sector led

Issues Continued
Agriculture

Education:
UFA:Introduce the teaching of agriculture in primary and
secondary schools and provide incentives within the
education system for students to opt for it.
PDP:Upgrade all the district agriculture training institutes
to centres of excellence; transform the Faculty of
Agriculture and Forestry into a School of Agriculture;
transform the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine into a School
of Animal Resources and Production; and establish the
School of Aquatic Sciences, Fisheries and Aquaculture.
PPP: Introduce programmes in skills and vocational training
NRM- Align the curriculum of agricultural training colleges
to market demands; establish a Uganda Farmers School
and Leadership Centre; set up farmer academies;
strengthen centres of excellence for strategic commodities.
DP, FDC and UPC Non Committal

Issues Continued
Agro-Processing,

Storage and

Marketing
All Parties Promised to promote
Cooperatives
Extension Services: All parties
promised to subsidize extension
services. Not concrete.
Caveat: Absence of model to reach
millions of farmer households

Issues Continued;
Water

for Production:
NRM, PDP, PPP, DP, and FDC promise to
set up affordable irrigation schemes to
reduce over-dependence on rainfall.
The manifestos of the UPC and the UFA
are silent on the question of water for
agricultural production.

Some key Reflecetions

Some Key provocations / Reflections

A:The Population Trends vis avis capability to

increase food production
- Annual population growth rate -3.2, In 1980 12.7m , In
2005 28.7m, By 2025 58.1m, And by 2050 152.2 m
Productivity in agriculture has been oscillating between
-1.3 to 2.5% for the last 6 years
What does this mean for food security and employment
(ability to procure food)
How about Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Burundi?

Comparative
View
Budgets in Africa

Point

on

C: Architecture of budgets in EAC: Are budgets targeted

to boost Food Security Uganda? Kenya? Rwanda? Burundi?
Only Ethiopia, Niger, Mali, Malawi, Burkina Faso, Senegal
and Guinea have consistently reached the 10 per cent
budget target
.

D: GDP paradox : Decreased contribution but population

trapped in the low sector: How do they get by? How are
their food security needs catered for

Engagement Options: Voice

and Accountability
The

indicator on voice and accountability

assesses the extent to which citizens have
political rights and civil liberties and are able to
participate in selecting and influencing their
government.
Determine whether public sector agencies
respond to challenges affecting farmers and
agricultural communities.
Most importantly governance influences
agricultural policies, tax levels, and the
conditions under which specific subsidies may
be offered by governments.

 Voice

and accountability indicator

 Government

effectiveness at all levels

 Support

to private sector

 Indicators

n political stability and

absence of violence

More on Options
Leverage

networks of change (Multiplying

jiggers)
- Religious organizations
Trade Unions
Private sector associations eg PSFU in Uganda,
EABC, EAFF etc
Media
Informal Advocacy
The Army (UPDF) and food security
President/Prime Minister

Conclusion
In farming communities, social organizations in the
form of agricultural cooperatives and other forms
of associations become the vanguards of social,
economic and political organizations, giving such
communities influence in public policy and politics.
These social formations also become the building bocks
for a demand-driven agricultural development
agenda where policies respond to the needs of farmers
and their private sector agents.
This is Where the focus must be