Uganda’s Agricultural Sector at Crossroads
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Date
2017-07
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Economic Policy Research Centre
Abstract
Uganda’s agricultural growth has stagnated at about 2 percent for almost two decades yet the sector employs about 70% of the working
population and contributes 40 percent of export earnings. On the other hand, Uganda’s population growth rate remains very high, above
3 percent per annum, signaling the likelihood of food insecurity and increase in poverty incidence. It is thus clear that the current state
of agriculture cannot support the country’s target of attaining the lower-middle income status by 2020. A number of policies, programs
and interventions have been implemented with no success in transforming the sector. These include: Structural Adjustment Programmes,
Economic Recovery Program, Poverty Action Eradication Plan, and Plan for Modernization of Agriculture, among others. Indeed, the sector
is at crossroads because while it is clear of what needs to be done to transform the sector, the current institutional set up seems weak and
uncoordinated to effectively implement the required transformative interventions. Approaches that enhance institutional coordination, promote
agricultural research and strengthen extension service provision would aid in revamping agricultural performance.
Description
Policy Brief published by The Economic Policy Research Centre (EPRC) is an autonomous not-for-profit organization established in 1993 with a mission to foster sustainable growth and development in Uganda through advancement of research-based knowledge and policy analysis.
Keywords
Citation
Mwesigye, F., Sserunjogi, B., and Mbowa, S., (2017). Uganda’s agricultural sector at Crossroads Is it a myth or a reality. Economic Policy Research Centre. 25