Godfrey Bahiigwa, ReSAKSS-AW Coordinator, presented at Expert Group Meeting on Rethinking Africa’s Agriculture and Rural Transformation on December 4, 2012

1. IFPRI
Agricultural Modernization Experiences in Uganda
Expert Group Meeting on Agriculture and Rural Transformation
Godfrey Bahiigwa
December 4, 2012
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
INTERNATIONAL FOOD POLICY RESEARCH INSTITUTE

2. Outline of Presentation
 Policy frameworks for agricultural
transformation
 Is transformation happening in
Uganda’s agriculture?
 Some lessons learnt over the years

3. Uganda’s Agricultural Policy Frameworks (1)
 Plan for Modernization of Agriculture (PMA):
2001-2008
» Poverty focused, small scale farmer driven
» Holistic approach to agricultural development
» Government role limited to public goods
 Rural Development Strategy (RDS): 2005-
2007
» Advocated for proactive government, but short-
lived

4. Uganda’s Agricultural Policy Frameworks (2)
 Prosperity for All (PFA): 2006 to date
» Improved version of RDS
» Elements of PMA in it
» Used for political mobilization
» Quietly fizzling away
 Agricultural Sector Development Strategy
and Investment Plan (DSIP): 2010-2015
» Captures key elements of PMA, RDS, PFA
» Focused more on role of ministry of agriculture
» Supports all farmer categories
» Not as popularized at the PMA
» Commodity approach adopted for
implementation

5. Indicators of Agricultural Transformation
 Increasing productivity, sustained over
several decades
 Increasing incomes, sustained over
several decades
 Declining share of agriculture in GDP
 Declining labor employed in agriculture

6. Cereal yields have hardly changes in 30 years
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
Uganda Cereal Yield Kenya Cereal Yield

7. Per capita incomes started rising in last 10 years
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
Per Capita GDP ($)

8. Agriculture Share in GDP has declined, but not employment
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Ag. Value Added GDP (%) Non Ag GDP (%)

9. 73
72 72
71
70
69 69
68
67
66 66 66
65
64
63
1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987
1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995
1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

10. Population is predominantly rural and changing slowly
94
92
90
88
86
84
82
80
Rural Population (%)

11.  THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION