Agriculture Ministry mentions limited funds, pests and bad weather as its major challenges

By Charles Katabalwa

20^th May 2019

Ministry of Agriculture Animal, Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) has attributed the 30 percent of its backlog to government’s failure to fulfill its promises for the sector.

The Minister for MAAIF Vincent Bamulangaki SSempijja while releasing the sector performance and progress report in regard to the 2016-21 NRM manifesto said that ministry’s budget is over 2 trillion shillings but ministry of Finance is reported to be planning only One trillion shillings for them in the Financial Year 2019/20, meaning they only cover 50% of their planned activities.

Ssempijja has disclosed that other challenges such as pests and disease outbreaks stretched their budget yet human resource, Under Research, changing weather patterns, weak linkage between provision of agricultural inputs and provision of extension services among others all have made it difficult for sector to perform fully.

He has revealed that for the last three years the sector has been on track implementing the 2016/21 NRM manifesto whose objective is talking Uganda to modernity through job creation and inclusive development.