ONC Launches Campaign to Boost Agricultural Processing and Support Farmers

24 August 2026, 6:28 pm

By Annet Nakato

The Office of the National Chairman of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) has launched a campaign aimed at promoting micro-agricultural processing to help farmers add value to their produce and improve household incomes.

The campaign, known as the Boosting Micro Agricultural Processing initiative, seeks to encourage small-scale farmers to process their agricultural products before selling them in order to earn better returns.

Speaking at the NRM offices in Kyambogo, Hajjat Hadijah Namyalo, the Head of the Office of the National Chairman, said Uganda risks facing food insecurity if farmers continue to struggle with access to quality seeds, agricultural inputs and appropriate technologies.

Namyalo said many farmers miss planting seasons because they lack the necessary inputs and equipment, a situation she warned could contribute to hunger and negatively affect the country’s economy.

She further cautioned that Uganda could face prolonged drought and food shortages if stakeholders fail to take urgent measures to support farmers and strengthen the agricultural sector.

Namyalo on supporting farmers and addressing food insecurity.Namyalo called on the government, through the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, to increase funding for agriculture and work closely with the Office of the National Chairman to ensure that agricultural programmes directly benefit smallholder farmers.

She said government interventions should focus on the needs of ordinary farmers, particularly those struggling with access to inputs, technology and markets.

Namyalo calls for increased government investment in agriculture.

Meanwhile, Namyalo criticised the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) over the circulation of products that allegedly do not meet required quality standards.

She questioned how substandard agricultural products, including pesticides and other farm inputs, enter the Ugandan market, warning that poor-quality products could expose farmers and consumers to serious health and environmental risks.

Namyalo urged the authorities responsible for enforcing standards to strengthen monitoring and ensure that only safe and certified agricultural inputs reach farmers.