Abstract:
Agriculture forms the basic engine of economic growth for Uganda. Low agricultural
productivity is at the heart of Uganda's economic, social and environmental problems.
Agriculture has grown steadily at a rate of over 4% per annum over the past ten years
or so. However, there are concerns that this rate cannot be sustained without
structural reforms to the sector. This realisation is being backed by the adoption of
clear policies, economic support and guidance.
Recent agricultural growth has taken place at a time of profound re-orientation in the
role of the public sector in the agricultural economy. This re-orientation has involved
significant liberalisation of the agricultural economy and complementary institutional
reforms that rightOsized, privatised and decentralised public agricultural institutions.
It has also resulted in a reformulation of policy so that poverty eradication is not the
overriding objective of GoU agricultural development efforts.