The government of Uganda has announced plans to create a new regulatory body tasked with handling food safety, veterinary issues, and agro-chemicals, addressing a significant gap in the country’s agricultural and public health systems.
This move comes in response to the rising concerns over fake veterinary drugs and agro-chemicals that have been undermining the safety of Uganda’s agricultural sector.
Fred Bwino Kyakulaga, the Minister of State for Agriculture, explained the rationale behind the decision during a recent briefing, emphasising the need for a more specialised approach to these challenges.
"Currently, the agents handling veterinary and agro-chemical issues are technically more suited to other fields," Kyakulaga noted.
"They are also managing too many different sectors, which compromises their ability to effectively address these specific challenges. We have analysed the situation and decided that it's necessary to create the right agents to handle the right challenges."
The establishment of the new regulatory authority will aim to tackle the rising prevalence of counterfeit veterinary drugs and harmful agro-chemicals, which have been a growing concern for Ugandan farmers and consumers alike.
The Minister further highlighted the need to address a pressing issue regarding food safety in the country. "Food quality and safety are almost like an orphan in Uganda right now," he remarked.
"Currently, no single agency is fully dedicated to ensuring food safety and quality. As such, we are also adding food safety to the mandate of this new body."
The government's new approach reflects a deeper commitment to improving public health and agriculture by establishing a more efficient regulatory structure that focuses specifically on food and agricultural safety.
Kyakulaga explained that the new regulatory authority will not only oversee the veterinary sector but will also take on the critical role of ensuring food quality and safety—areas that have previously lacked proper oversight.
"We are not undermining existing agencies," he clarified. "Rather, we are restructuring to make sure each agent is focused on their specific mandate. This will help us address the issues of fake agro-chemicals and unsafe veterinary drugs while also tackling the larger issue of food safety."
The new regulatory body will aim to streamline oversight, reducing the risk of harmful products entering the market and ensuring that consumers have access to safe, quality food.
This restructuring is a crucial step toward improving Uganda’s agricultural systems, protecting both farmers and consumers from potentially dangerous counterfeit products.
In the coming months, the government is expected to finalize the details of this initiative, with plans for its implementation already in the pipeline.
The announcement has been met with optimism by stakeholders in Uganda’s agricultural and food sectors, who hope that the new structure will help ensure a safer, more sustainable future for the country’s food production and distribution systems.
"This is an important development for the future of food security in Uganda," Kyakulaga concluded. "Together, we can build a stronger, more resilient agricultural system, where food and livestock products are safe and beneficial to all Ugandans.
