Abstract:

Agriculture is and will, in the medium term, remain central to Uganda’s economic growth
and poverty reduction. It employs nearly 80% of the population1, contributes approximately
25% to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and generates 40% of the country’s exports.
The sector’s role is well articulated in Uganda’s long-term development aspirations in Vision
2040, which envisions transforming Uganda from a predominantly peasant and low-income
country to a competitive upper-middle-income country. Achieving this will require enhancing
production and productivity within the sector through the use of productivity-enhancing
technologies such as fertiliser. Both Vision 2040 and the short-term planning framework
of the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), the Agriculture
Sector Strategic Plan (ASSP) 2015/16-2019/20, emphasise the crucial role of fertiliser use
in boosting agricultural production and productivity. The related Abuja Fertiliser Summit
2006 Declaration recommends that African countries apply at least 50 kg of nutrients per
hectare by 2015 to attain and sustain the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) target of 6% annual growth in the agricultural sector.