The Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), through the Uganda Climate Smart Agricultural Transformation Project, has distributed agro-inputs to more than 40 farmer groups in Isingiro District to boost agricultural production and improve household incomes.
Under the project, government will also rehabilitate key roads and bridges to improve farmers' access to markets.
Speaking during the handover ceremony, the district focal person for the project, Dr Bruhan Kasozi, said the support is intended to help farmers increase productivity and earn better returns from their investments.
“This project targets farmers who are already engaged in different agricultural value chains, and these inputs are meant to act as a catalyst for increased productivity. I have no doubt that our farmers are now going to start seeing money in their accounts,” Kasozi said.
Isingiro is one of the districts within Uganda's cattle corridor, an area that frequently experiences prolonged dry spells that affect agricultural production.
Kasozi noted that many farmers have struggled to invest in climate-smart agricultural technologies because of financial constraints, limiting their ability to improve production.
He expressed optimism that the government intervention would increase output and improve post-harvest handling across several agricultural enterprises.
“We want coffee production to increase. If you are engaged in dairy farming, we want milk production to rise. The same applies to fish farming, apiary and other enterprises,” he said.
The project operates under a cost-sharing arrangement in which farmers contribute 20 per cent of the cost of the inputs while government meets the remaining 80 per cent. It is currently being implemented in 69 districts across the country.
To qualify for support, beneficiaries must belong to organised farmer groups. The inputs distributed include beehives, fertilisers, honey harvesting equipment and wheelbarrows, among other items.
While officiating at the handover, Isingiro Deputy Resident District Commissioner Mukama Kandiho welcomed the initiative, saying it would improve both agricultural productivity and market access.
“We are thankful to government, and in particular President Museveni, for thinking about the people of Isingiro because this project will open up many roads and bridges to improve market access for our agricultural products. This is our take-off stage,” Kandiho said.
More than 40 farmer groups in the district have so far benefited from the programme.
One of the beneficiaries, Denis Tukahirwa, said the subsidised inputs would ease production costs.
“We have been struggling because we lacked money to buy fertiliser, but now government has provided it at a cheaper cost,” he said.
In addition to supporting agricultural production and improving market access, the Uganda Climate Smart Agricultural Transformation Project includes irrigation interventions aimed at helping farmers sustain production during prolonged droughts.
The programme also supports artificial insemination services under an arrangement where farmers pay only after successful conception.
Kandiho warned beneficiaries against selling the government-supplied inputs, saying the Resident District Commissioner's office would monitor their utilisation.
“The office of the RDC is mandated to monitor government programmes. We will conduct spot checks in your respective areas, and if we find any of these items missing or being sold on the market, we shall take action. Please put them to proper use,” he said.
He added that, as Isingiro hosts a large refugee population, government is also planning additional livelihood programmes to equip refugees with tools and equipment to support self-reliance.
