The Government of Uganda has handed over vehicles and motorcycles to districts implementing the Uganda Climate Smart Agricultural Transformation Project (UCSATP).
The move is aimed at strengthening extension services and improving service delivery to farmers.
The handover ceremony, held at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds Tuesday , was presided over by Vice President Jessica Alupo, alongside the Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, Frank Tumwebaze, and senior government officials.
Speaking at the event, Frank Tumwebaze said the equipment is intended to address long-standing gaps in agricultural extension, particularly limited mobility among frontline workers.
“One of the most critical enablers of agricultural transformation is a functional extension system. One issue that has been stifling extension over the years is mobility for the extension workers,” Tumwebaze said.
He added that inadequate extension outreach has affected farmers’ ability to adopt proper agronomic practices, manage pests and diseases, and maintain post-harvest quality.
“Many farmers confess that they do not see them. This has meant inability of farmers to adopt the right agronomic practices,” he said.
The Minister noted that the newly distributed vehicles and motorcycles will enable extension workers to reach farmers more efficiently, leading to improved productivity and household incomes.
“The implication of these vehicles and motorbikes is that extension workers will be able to reach our farmers and provide the much-needed advisory services,” he said.
Vice President Jessica Alupo said the intervention is part of broader efforts to accelerate agricultural transformation and improve last-mile service delivery.
“For a long time, limited mobility has constrained last-mile service delivery. These vehicles and motorcycles will now enable our extension staff to reach farmers more efficiently,” Alupo said.
She highlighted the agriculture sector’s contribution to the economy, noting that Uganda is currently the leading coffee exporter in Africa, earning USD 2.4 billion in the past 12 months.
“These earnings also reflect growth in household incomes among the coffee producing households,” she said.
Alupo also called for accountability in the use of the newly handed-over assets.
“Use these assets strictly for official government and project activities. These are public resources entrusted to you to serve our farmers,” she said.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Maj. Gen. David Kasura Kyomukama, said the project is being implemented in 69 districts and targets 3.9 million direct beneficiaries, including refugee-hosting communities.
“The vehicles and motorcycles being handed over today are meant to strengthen extension, supervision, and implementation at district, sub-county, and parish levels,” he said.
He noted that the UCSATP is supported by a USD 354 million investment and is designed to address key challenges in the sector, including low productivity, weak extension systems, climate shocks, and limited market access.
“This project is a system-transforming intervention addressing the real constraints in our agricultural sector,” he said.
The project includes investments in climate-smart research, improved seeds and breeds, irrigation, mechanization, and market infrastructure, as well as an e-voucher system requiring farmers to co-fund inputs by 20 percent.