The Office of the National Chairman (ONC) of the NRM has called for an urgent review of Uganda’s agricultural input support and distribution framework, citing concerns over the rising cost and limited accessibility of quality farming inputs, particularly coffee seedlings and other planting materials.
Speaking at the ONC offices in Kyambogo, ONC Manager Hajjat Hadijah Namyalo Uzeiye said farmers from different parts of the country continue to raise concerns about the affordability, quality, timely delivery and accessibility of agricultural inputs.
Hajjat Namyalo said Uganda’s economic transformation efforts require farmers to have access to the basic inputs needed to increase production and household incomes. She called for an agricultural support system that responds directly to farmers’ needs and reflects the different farming conditions across the country.
She proposed a region-specific approach that considers Uganda’s different agro-ecological zones, suitable crops, planting seasons and the actual needs of farmers in each area.
The ONC also called for stronger coordination between agricultural input support and financing under the Parish Development Model (PDM). According to the office, access to productive financing should be complemented by affordable agricultural inputs, extension services and reliable markets to help households move from subsistence production into the money economy.
Hajjat Namyalo further called upon the Government and relevant institutions to strengthen and, where necessary, reinstate the strategic distribution of affordable, quality and climate-suitable seedlings and other agricultural inputs.
The ONC said improving access to the right inputs at the right time would help farmers increase production, strengthen household incomes and make better use of Government programmes aimed at expanding participation in the money economy.