Abstract:

Agriculture is at the core of the livelihoods of most rural households in Uganda. It is a major engine
for overall economic growth and possibly the single most important pathway out of poverty in the
rural space. Although measures to enhance the rural farm economy are reflected in national policy
through the Plan for Modernisation of Agriculture, tangible benefits, such as improved smallholder
farm productivity, income growth, poverty reduction, and national food security, continue to elude
the farm sector. Increasing the availability of inputs such as inorganic fertilizer and improved seed
is critical to meeting the above policy objectives. The lack of functional and efficient agricultural
inputs markets in Uganda is often highlighted among the major constraints to substantial
agricultural growth in the country. Improved soil fertility management through increased levels of
fertilizer use, increased use of available organic soil amendments, and improved farm management
practices, together with the use of improved seed, can result in positive gains in farm productivity.
This brief specifically addresses fertilizer use in Uganda.