Ministry of Local Government Tasks Production Officers to Spearhead Agricultural Transformation

KAMPALA, March 19, 2026 — The Ministry of Local Government has directed district, city and municipal production officers to take a more proactive role in evaluating and strengthening the impact of government interventions in agricultural extension services, in line with Uganda’s broader socio-economic transformation agenda.

Speaking during a one-day meeting convened at Hotel Africana in Kampala, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Local Government, Mr. Ben Kumumanya, underscored the central role production officers play in transforming communities through effective guidance on commercial agriculture and proper enterprise selection under the Parish Development Model.

The meeting brought together District, City and Municipal Production and Veterinary Officers to deliberate on key service delivery challenges in local governments, with a focus on strengthening agricultural extension services, controlling livestock diseases such as Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), and advancing the implementation of Pillar One of the PDM.

Production Officers as Change Agents

Kumumanya emphasized that production officers are not merely technical staff but frontline change agents tasked with guiding farmers toward viable, income-generating agricultural enterprises.

“You are the focal point of government interventions at the community level. Do not wait for communities to come looking for you. You must go to them and ensure services reach the people,” Kumumanya told the officers.

He urged them to actively shape public discourse around agricultural transformation and position themselves as trusted advisors to farmers, especially in enterprise selection. According to Kumumanya, effective extension services are critical to ensuring that households invest in enterprises suited to their ecological zones, market access, and capital levels.

He noted that strengthening extension systems is fundamental to boosting agricultural productivity and achieving the intended outcomes of the Parish Development Model, which seeks to move households from subsistence to participation in the money economy.

Kumumanya further called for systematic evaluation of ongoing government interventions in agricultural extension to determine their effectiveness and identify gaps. He stressed that accountability and measurable results must underpin all service delivery efforts if the country is to realize its national socio-economic transformation goals.

Shift from Subsistence to Commercial Agriculture

Also addressing the meeting, Maj. Gen. (Rtd) David Kasura Kyomukama, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), highlighted the urgent need to transition from subsistence farming to commercial agriculture.

“About 70 percent of households in Uganda engage in subsistence farming, yet they contribute only 25 percent to the country’s GDP,” he noted, pointing to low productivity and limited commercialization as key constraints.

Maj. Gen. Kasura tasked production and veterinary officers with intensifying farmer sensitization and promoting high-value, quick-return enterprises such as poultry, piggery, and horticulture, alongside other income-generating agricultural ventures.

He emphasized that commercialization must be supported by improved farming practices, better access to markets, and adherence to animal health standards.

Strengthening Disease Control Measures

On livestock health, Maj. Gen. Kasura stressed the importance of vaccination in controlling Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), assuring officers that adequate vaccines are available. He urged them to mobilize farmers to embrace vaccination as a primary disease control strategy.

Effective disease control, he noted, is essential not only for protecting household incomes but also for safeguarding national livestock exports and ensuring food security.

Advancing Pillar One of PDM

The meeting also reviewed progress in implementing Pillar One of the Parish Development Model, which focuses on production, storage, processing, and marketing. Officials emphasized that without strong extension support at the grassroots level, the PDM risks falling short of its intended impact.

Kumumanya reiterated that local government technical teams must take ownership of the transformation agenda by working closely with parish and sub-county structures to ensure coordinated service delivery.

He encouraged production officers to adopt a results-oriented mindset, grounded in field engagement and continuous monitoring.

“Our success will be measured by how many households move from subsistence to sustainable commercial production,” he said.

As Uganda pushes forward with its socio-economic transformation strategy, the renewed call to action signals government’s determination to reposition agricultural extension services as a cornerstone of rural development and household income growth.