Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, Hon. Frank Tumwebaze, has called on district leaders to provide accurate, verified data to guide the design of Ugandaโs proposed National Irrigation Development Project.
Speaking at the opening of a two-day engagement with district leaders at Imperial Royale Hotel, Kampala, on 7 October 2026, Tumwebaze said the engagement is addressing four areas: irrigation development; compulsory Foot and Mouth Disease vaccination; the regulatory framework for wild-capture fisheries and fisheries resources management; and agricultural extension services.
He noted that less than 2% of Ugandaโs agricultural land is under irrigation, compared to about 3.5โ4% in Sub-Saharan Africa and 28% in Northern Africa. With increasingly erratic weather patterns, he said Uganda can no longer rely solely on rainfall to sustain agricultural production.
Tumwebaze said the President has prioritised mass irrigation development to stabilise production and increase productivity.
The proposed project will cover: on-farm water conveyance where reliable water sources already exist; irrigation systems near seasonal rivers and streams; profiling and rehabilitating non-functional irrigation schemes developed by MAAIF and the Ministry of Water and Environment; bulk water systems for water-stressed communities; fish ponds, particularly in Bukedi, Busoga, Luwero and Kigezi; and increased agricultural machinery.
The Minister said MAAIF is finalising a project concept for submission to the Ministry of Finance and urged districts to provide verified information on existing facilities and last-mile water connectivity.
On extension services, Tumwebaze identified staffing, mobility and facilitation as critical to effective service delivery.
He challenged districts to account for vacant extension positions, available wage provisions, transport for extension workers and the use of Government-provided motorcycles and vehicles.
He also questioned why farmers continue to report inadequate access to extension services despite improvements in staffing, mobility and facilitation.
Tumwebaze urged district leaders to strengthen supervision, ensure regular farm visits and use radio platforms to promote good agronomic practices.
He directed the Ministryโs extension department to update his previous circular on extension roles into a comprehensive extension services handbook.
He said leaders must confront service-delivery gaps and ensure that farmers see and benefit from Government services in their daily economic activities.
