The Ministry of East African Community Affairs (MEACA) has rallied farmers and leaders in Nakasongola District to increase agricultural production and tap into the growing regional market offered by the East African Community (EAC).
At a high-level stakeholders’ engagement held at the district headquarters, Commissioner of Economic Affairs Leo Kizito Ojara led a sensitisation campaign aimed at deepening grassroots understanding of EAC trade policies, regional value chains, and cross-border opportunities.
“This engagement is part of MEACA’s broader mission to ensure that even rural communities like Nakasongola are not left behind in the East African integration journey,” Ojara told attendees.
“We are here to demystify the EAC, highlight its opportunities, and prepare communities to take advantage of them.”
The event drew district leaders, Members of Parliament, religious figures, Parish Development Model (PDM) SACCO heads, farmers, and other key stakeholders.
Local leaders welcomed the outreach, describing it as timely and potentially transformative.
Sam Kigula, the LC5 Chairperson of Nakasongola District, praised the ministry’s direct engagement and called on farmers to rise to the challenge of increased demand across borders.
“MEACA’s coming to this district means that it's real. We are one, and the market is enlarging—so productivity must be rising,” Kigula said.
“We already have over 23 industries, and that’s why government awarded us ‘Industrial City Status’ even before we asked. Now we must step up and create more employment.”
The forum placed strong emphasis on leveraging the Parish Development Model to connect farmers with regional markets.
Godfrey Oundo Ongwabe, National Chairperson for Cross-Border Trade, encouraged producers to adopt modern trading practices and prioritise value addition.
“Africa has over 1.3 billion consumers waiting for supply,” Ongwabe said.
“Use digital platforms like the government’s trade portal to identify market-specific demand and pricing. But more importantly, ensure your products meet quality standards.”
He advised farmers to improve harvesting methods, process goods locally, and form cooperatives to scale their access to regional markets and government support.
Language was also highlighted as a strategic tool. Stakeholders were urged to learn key EAC languages — English, Kiswahili, and French — to ease trade communication across partner states.
Charles Senyimba, a district councillor for Wabinyonyi Sub-county, raised concerns over persistent Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs), including lack of market information, burdensome customs processes, and poor documentation systems.
In response, Ojara assured participants that both MEACA and the Ministry of Trade are actively working to resolve NTBs.
“We are not seated about it. We have developed an NTB Reporting Tool so traders can report bottlenecks in real time. We’re also in regular talks with our regional partners to harmonise procedures,” he said.
As the EAC moves toward deeper economic and political integration, such local-level engagements are proving essential in connecting ordinary citizens to the benefits of a unified market.
With rising emphasis on sustainable development, cross-border trade, and regional cooperation, Nakasongola’s farmers are now being positioned to play a greater role in the East African economy.