Abstract:

Maize is a major food crop both from the viewpoint of food security and income-generation. It forms
a major part of the diet for both rural and urban communities. Maize is also used as a key input in the
animal feed industries and for local brewing. The maize subsector contributes to the livelihoods of over
3.6 million farm households, 1 000 traders/agents and 600 millers nationwide by providing them with
employment and income. Maize is cultivated in at least 50 districts on about 1 million hectares of land
across all agro-ecological zones, representing about 46 percent of the area under cereal crops in the
country. Production dramatically increased from 1.1 million tonnes in 2000 to 2.7 million tonnes in
2013, when maize ranked third in production after banana and cassava. This rapid growth was mainly
attributed to both yield increases and expansion of the area under maize. In 2006, maize topped the list
of food exports. In 2013, Uganda’s formal maize export was valued at over USD 42.3 million. In addition,
Uganda supplied about 90 percent (over 654 000 tonnes) of the informally traded maize in the region.
As a result of its importance, the Government of Uganda selected maize as a strategic commodity for
priority public investment.