Uganda plans to deploy 10,000 tractors over the next five years and expand irrigation schemes as the government seeks to boost food production, reduce farmers’ dependence on unpredictable weather and strengthen national food security.
Agriculture Minister Frank Tumwebaze said mechanisation and irrigation would be central to the government’s agricultural agenda, enabling farmers to cultivate larger areas, improve productivity and produce food more reliably throughout the year.
Presenting a statement on the performance of the agriculture sector during a parliamentary plenary sitting on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, Tumwebaze identified reliance on manual labour and rainfall-dependent farming as major constraints to agricultural production.
He said expanding access to agricultural machinery and water infrastructure would help Uganda close the gap between its available arable land and the area currently under cultivation, while supporting commercial farming, rural employment and agro-processing.
“Our policy strategy proposes two lines of intervention, that is the establishment and operationalisation of 21 mechanisation centres and a cost-sharing approach to tractor acquisition involving government, commercial farmers, and producer groups,” Tumwebaze said.
Under the plan, the government intends to make mechanised farming more accessible and affordable, particularly for farmers and producer organisations that cannot independently finance agricultural equipment.
Since 2018, Uganda has acquired and distributed 1,080 tractors, together with matching implements, as well as 1,350 single-axle walk-behind tractors equipped with various accessories.
The machinery is allocated to farmers, associations, farmer groups and institutions through memoranda of understanding with the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries.
To support the programme, the government has trained 2,036 tractor operators and technicians at the Namalere Mechanisation Centre. The personnel have been deployed across the country to improve the safe and efficient use of agricultural machinery.
However, mechanisation alone will not guarantee stable food supplies if farmers remain vulnerable to prolonged dry spells, irregular rainfall and other weather-related disruptions.
Tumwebaze said irrigation would therefore be a critical component of the government’s strategy to stabilise agricultural production, support multiple planting seasons and improve farmers’ ability to plan their output.
The Ministry of Agriculture, working with the Ministry of Water and Environment, has submitted a National Irrigation Development Plan to the Ministry of Finance for funding under the proposed National Irrigation Development Project (NIDEP), which is intended to cover the entire country.
The project aims to strengthen food security through climate-resilient agriculture while improving income security through sustainable commercial farming.
Uganda has already completed 10 large-scale irrigation schemes, increasing the total area under formal irrigation by 7,203 hectares, according to the minister.
Among the completed projects are the Doho II rice irrigation scheme in Butaleja District, the Ngenge scheme in Kween and Mubuku II in Kasese.
Additional schemes under construction include Kabuyanda in Isingiro, Namaitsu in Bududa and Chembobai in Bukwo.
Expanding these projects could help farmers reduce their exposure to rainfall variability and improve the reliability of supplies of staple foods and other agricultural products. However, the scale of the food-security gains will depend on the pace of implementation, access to irrigation water, maintenance of infrastructure and farmers’ ability to afford the associated costs.
Financing smallholder agriculture
The government is also relying on rural financing programmes to help smallholder farmers increase production and participate in commercial agriculture.
Tumwebaze said the Parish Development Model (PDM) had expanded access to finance for households whose livelihoods depend largely on agriculture, particularly by strengthening financial inclusion at the community level.
The government has cumulatively injected Shs4.4 trillion into parish savings and credit cooperative organisations (SACCOs) since the programme began five years ago.
Access to affordable credit is important for farmers seeking to purchase seeds, fertilisers, irrigation equipment and other inputs required to increase yields. The effectiveness of such financing in improving food security will depend on how well the funds reach productive agricultural activities and translate into higher output and more stable household incomes.
For medium- and large-scale farmers who fall outside the PDM framework, the government intends to continue providing support through interventions under its Agriculture Value Chain Development Strategy.
The strategy is expected to complement mechanisation and irrigation by supporting agricultural value chains, commercial production and value addition.
Agriculture’s growing economic contribution
The government’s renewed focus on agricultural production comes as the sector continues to play a significant role in Uganda’s economy, employment and export earnings.
According to Tumwebaze, agriculture’s contribution to gross domestic product increased from a 10-year average of 23 per cent to 26.2 per cent by the end of the 2025/2026 financial year. The sector also accounts for an average of 40 per cent of the country’s export earnings.
These figures underscore the importance of improving agricultural productivity not only to feed Uganda’s population but also to strengthen rural livelihoods, supply agro-processing industries and generate foreign exchange.
For food security, the key test will be whether investments in machinery, irrigation and agricultural financing translate into higher and more reliable harvests, better access to food and improved resilience to climate shocks.
Members of Parliament are expected to debate the minister’s report during next week’s plenary sittings, providing an opportunity to examine the proposed interventions and their implications for agricultural development and national food security.
