Current Situation of Agricultural Mechanization in Uganda

1. Regional workshop to share experiences of
sustainable agricultural mechanization hire
service provision practices in Sub-Saharan
African countries.
Current Situation of Agricultural
Mechanization in Uganda
December 9-12, 2019, Imperial Royal Hotel
Kampala, Uganda
Presented by
Eng. Okanya Boniface
For Commissioner Agricultural Infrastructure,
Mechanisation and Water for Agric Production

2. Uganda Agricultural Sector
 Population: Approx . 35 million people
 Population density: 126persons /km
 Population is currently growing at 3.03% per annum
 Agricultural area: 14.64 Million Ha
 Agriculture Sector employs about 72% of the population
aged 14 years and older.
 With limited agricultural Mechanization, the sector
accounts for 24.7% of total GDP (UBOS, 2015).
 Agricultural exports accounted for 57.2% of total exports in
2014 (MAAIF, 2015).
 Small scale farmers constitute about 85% of the farming
community (Below 5 Acres); 12% are medium scale
farmers (Between 5-15 Acres) while 3% are large scale
farmers (Above 15 Acres).
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3. Agricultural Mechanization in Uganda
 15% of the total number of farmers have
access to Mechanization Services
 Limited use of Agric Mechanization
services leading to drudgery, crop losses
of up to 30%, high postharvest losses and
low farm incomes.
 Farm equipment, machinery and spare
parts are imported with limited local
manufacturing and fabrication capacity.
 Reduction in farm size through sub-division
makes the use of large machinery and
mechanization of farming generally
uneconomical.
 Available cropland remains under-utilized
with smallholders using only 68% of their
land for agricultural production due to
lack of labour intensive technologies.
 Household labour in the sector is
dominated by women and children – 68%.
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4. SWOT Analysis for Demand for Agricultural
Mechanization Demand
Strengths
• Mechanisation Technologies
are available on the Market.
• Dealers and Suppliers of
Agricultural Machinery are
available in the country and
out of the country.
• Assembling and
manufacturing plants
availability
• Skilling and Capacity
Development
Weakness
• Lack of aware about appropriate AMTs
• Lack of Financial Services and credit access to
Smallholder Farmers
• Lack of knowledge and skills in management
and operation of modern and affordable
processing methods.
• Inadequate after-sale support for AMTs.
• Decline in farm production and productivity of
the rural workforce due to rapid migration of
the youth to urban areas.
• There is often a critical lack of spare parts, and
aftersale support services.
Opportunities
• The Ministry is stepping up
investment in agricultural
mechanization, agro-
processing and water for
agricultural production.
• Massive sensitization
through exhibitions, media
platforms, extension and
community outreach
Threat
• Government and the Private Sector imports
more machinery than what is locally
fabricated
• Lack of aftersale support for imprted
machinery
• Poor land use and management practices
• Fluactuating market prices for Agricultural
Produce
• Security for the AMTs

5. SWOT Analysis for Supply of Agricultural
Mechanization
Strengths
• The Agricultural sector’s Theme
for ASSP 2021/2025 is ‘Agro-
industrializaton’.
• Developed transport
infrastrustructure in the country
• The Sector’s mission is
‘Transforming the sector from
subsistence farming to
commercial agriculture’.
Weakness
• High taxes on spare parts and agro
machinery after sale support
• Lack of capacity to establish after sale
support unit in different parts of the country
• Poor insurance policies and financial
products for AMT’s acquisition
Opportunities
• There is a robust demand for
Agricultural Machinery in Uganda
and neighbouring countries.
• No taxation of agro-machinery
• Uganda is undergoing rapid
urbanisation
Threat
• Fluctuating prices for AMTs
• 68% subsistence farmers who cannot afford
appropriate AMTs
• Lack of standardization and regulations for
Agricultural Machinery
• Lack of knowledge and skills in
management and operation of modern
and affordable processing methods.
• The local manufacturing industry in Uganda
is still ill equipped and underdeveloped

6. SWOT Analysis for Mechanisation Institutional
Environment
Strengths
• Existence of a Department for Agricultural
Infrastructure, Mechanisation and Water for
Production
• The Agricultural sector’s Theme for ASSP
2021/2025 is ‘Agro-industrializaton’.
• Universities that train in Agricultural Engineering
Courses
• The Government and Private Sector are setting
Vocational institutes for Machinery operation
and Maintenance
Weakness
• Poor or non existing curriculum for
agricultural Mechanisation
• Lack of linkage between
Academia/Research, Industry and
the users
• Lack of skill capacity to design,
modify, manufacture and manage
agricultural machinery
• Agriculcultural Engineer,
Technicians and machinery
operators are still very few.
Opportunities
• Government has procured a number of
agricultural equipment and agro-processing
machinery across the country.
• A number of financial products for acquisition of
agro-machinery have been developed.
• Regional technical support units are being
developed.
• Extensive recruitment of Agricultural Engineers is
being done in the country.
• A number of small scale industries for fabrication
of Local Machinery are being set up
Threat
• Low funding for capacity building
for design, management and
opération of agricultural
machinery.

7. Agricultural mechanization policies
(Agricultural policies, strategies, agricultural mechanization programs...)
 The country has no Agricultural Mechnaisation policy
and Implementation plan at the moment but they
are at final stage of approval by cabinet of Uganda.

8. On-going Agricultural Mechanization
Projects & Programmes
(sectors, stakeholders, volume of investment, partners, level of
intervention, production/processing etc.)
 The a number of project and programmes that support promotion of use of
Agricultural Mechanisation.
 Through the Agriculture Cluster Development Project (World Bank) and EEA
(USAID), the Mechanisation Policy, Implementation Framework and Regulations
are under development.
 Through the National Agricultural Advisory Services Secretariat (NAADS) and
other Government Agencies, Government procuresd Tractors, Agro-processing
and Value addition equipment to farming Communities through a co-
investment model.
 Through the labour saving technologies project, Earth moving equipment were
procured to enhance bush clearing for opening farmlands, construct dams
and valley tanks for water for prodcution.
 Through the Agricultural Value Chain Development Programme (AVCP),
Regional Pastoral Livelihoods Resilience Project (RPLRP), Vegetable Oil
Development Project (VODP), South to South Cooperation Project, and many
other projects, Government is promoted use of Agricultural Machinery for
production and value addition.

9. Agricultural Mechanization Hire Service
Provision Models
(priority sector, description, why successful and scalability)
Government is promoting access to AMTs through hire
of machinery through the following management
models
 Farmer organization Management model
 The Government owned and operated
Management Model
 Nucleus Farmer Service Provider Management
model
 Leased/ contracted Management model
 Public and Private ownership

10. Conclusion
(lessons learned and recommendations to be shared for the
development of Mechanization and service delivery)
 In order to Transform the sector from subsistence farming to
commercial agriculture, Agricultural Mechanisation and
Agro-processing are key inputs.
 The Government will focus on the following priority areas in
order to increase uptake of Mechanisation.
 Strengthen the Regulatory and Legislative framework
 Build skill and institutional capacity
 Increase access to AMTs through hire, leasing, PPP and
developing appropriate Financial products
 Strengthen Awareness and Sustainable Utilization of
Appropriate AMTS
 Promote a value chain approach (agro-processing,
value addition and storage)