- Uganda was a leader in the East African region in terms of agriculture productivity before 2000. But lack of sufficient development in the sector has left it trailing behind Rwanda and Kenya according to the United Nations Capital Development Fund.
Uganda was a leader in the East African region in terms of agriculture productivity before 2000. But lack of sufficient development in the sector has left it trailing behind Rwanda and Kenya according to the United Nations Capital Development Fund.
Speaking during the Agribusiness Mkutano (conference) in Kampala, Dr Dmitry Pozhidaev, the United Nations Capital Development Fund country and regional head, said that because of low productivity, many people opted out of agriculture to other sectors of economy. The Agribusiness Mkutano under the theme: Uganda@60: Fulfiling the agro-industrialisation agenda for Uganda seeks to highlight the role of entire value addition chains in the generating employment and boosting industrialisation.
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During the last two decades, Pozhidaev said, productivity in the services sector has doubled though in the manufacturing sector it continues to fluctuate. The target of the government under the National Development Plan II, was to realise a 2.2 percent annual increase in agricultural productivity and increase in labour productivity by 40 percent. The failure to meet the target has frustrated the fight against unemployment. In Uganda, 600,000 youth annually enter the job market. Therefore,
Dr Pozhidaev advocated focussed policies, knowledge sharing, skill development and financing of improved agricultural productivity. Agriculture experts underlined the need to ensure that farmers access credit and grant to improve productivity. Adequate support in coffee, dairy, cereals, horticulture, oil seeds and poultry value chain can increase capacity to produce large quantities and quality commodities to meet the demand of both the local and international markets.
