Ministry of Agriculture Urges Shift to Commercial Farming

The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), Maj. Gen. (Rtd) David Kasura Kyomukama, has urged a shift from subsistence agriculture to commercial farming as a strategy to improve productivity and household incomes.

Speaking at a meeting for District, City, and Municipal Production Officers and Veterinary Officers organised by the Ministry of Local Government, Maj. Gen. Kasura highlighted the need for a mindset change in how agriculture is practiced across the country.

He noted that about 70 percent of households in Uganda are engaged in subsistence farming, yet contribute only about 25 percent to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), a gap that reflects low productivity and limited commercialization.

To address this, he called on production and veterinary officers to intensify sensitization efforts and guide farmers towards commercial farming.

He emphasized the promotion of high-value, quick-return enterprises such as poultry, piggery, horticulture, and other income-generating agricultural activities that can improve livelihoods within a short time.

Maj. Gen. Kasura also underscored the importance of livestock vaccination in controlling Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), noting that government has made adequate vaccines available.

He tasked officers with ensuring farmers are mobilized and supported to take up vaccination as a key disease control measure.