Find Agriculture expertise in Uganda
- Industry
- Development
Industry
Agriculture, forestry and fisheries together contribute 23% of Uganda’s GDP (2010), and 69% of land is devoted to agricultural use (2009) with some 80% of people relying on small-scale subsistence farming. Agricultural products are the major export group and make up nearly all of Uganda’s foreign exchange earnings. The country is Africa’s leading producer of coffee, and the crop contributes the largest proportion – one-fifth – of the country’s exports. The other agricultural products are tea, cotton, tobacco, cassava (tapioca), potatoes, corn, millet, pulses, cut flowers, beef, goat meat, milk and poultry. In terms of research, the country’s most respected university, Makerere, publishes the Uganda Journal of Agricultural Sciences. The Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries is the principal public agency responsible for the agricultural sector. Other important industry bodies include the Dairy Development Authority, the Cotton Development Authority and the Uganda Coffee Development Authority.
Development
The World Economic Forum Global Competitiveness Report (2012-2013) ranks Uganda 58th out of 144 countries in terms of balanced agricultural policy costs with a score of 4.0 out of 7, above the world average. The ministry pointed out in 2012 that the Ugandan agricultural sector is particularly vulnerable to climate change as the weather is crucial to maximum crop production. The ministry urges farmers to take all possible steps to counteract the effects of climate change. The Department of Farm Development was established to promote modernisation and mechanisation on Uganda’s farms, as well as to encourage farmers to adopt environmentally responsible farming methods. Organic farming in Uganda is promoted and supported by the National Organic Movement of Uganda (NOGAMU) which is the uniting body for all institutions concerned with organic farming in the country.