The Government of Uganda has handed over vehicles and motorcycles to districts across the country in a move aimed at strengthening agricultural extension services and accelerating the implementation of the Uganda Climate Smart Agricultural Transformation Project (UCSATP).
The handover, held at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds on Tuesday, brought together senior government officials, district leaders and representatives of the World Bank, which is financing the project.
Speaking at the event, the Vice President said the equipment will play a critical role in improving service delivery to farmers, enhancing supervision and boosting the overall efficiency of the programme.
“These vehicles and motorcycles are key tools in strengthening our capacity to deliver services to farmers and accelerating Uganda’s journey towards climate-smart agricultural transformation,” she said.
She noted that agriculture remains a backbone of Uganda’s economy, contributing significantly to employment, exports and household incomes. She highlighted recent gains in the sector, including the country’s position as Africa’s leading coffee exporter, earning about $2.4 billion over the past year.
The Minister of Agriculture said the intervention directly addresses long-standing bottlenecks in the sector, particularly weak extension systems caused by limited mobility and the facilitation of frontline workers.
“One of the most critical enablers of agricultural transformation is a functional extension system,” the minister said. “This requires deploying the right personnel and equipping them with the tools and mobility to effectively transfer knowledge and support to farmers.”
He added that the government partnered with the World Bank after identifying key constraints such as low mechanisation, limited irrigation, poor disease control, weak research infrastructure and market access challenges.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture said the project is being implemented in 69 districts and targets about 3.9 million beneficiaries, including communities hosting refugees. The broader programme is valued at approximately $354 million.
He explained that the vehicles and motorcycles will facilitate supervision and service delivery at district, sub-county and parish levels, particularly in reaching farmers in remote areas.
“The project is addressing systemic challenges, including low productivity, climate shocks, weak extension services and poor market linkages,” he said.
The UCSATP includes investments in climate-smart agriculture, improved seed and livestock breeds, irrigation and water for production, mechanisation, and an e-voucher system where farmers co-fund inputs.
Officials said the initiative is expected to enhance resilience in agricultural value chains, improve market access and ultimately increase farmer incomes.
District leaders welcomed the support, noting that limited transport has long hindered extension workers from effectively reaching farmers, especially in rural areas.
The handover marks a significant step in the government’s efforts to modernise agriculture and position it as a driver of economic transformation.
