A retired senior military officer, RO/00184 Colonel (RTD) Dick Bugingo, has continued to use both practical and theoretical farming skills to transform the livelihoods of many Ugandans through mindset change and model farming.
At his AGDI diary...
President Museveni’s focus on agriculture as a pillar of Uganda’s economy has yielded significant gains; however, sustained progress depends on embracing government programs like the Parish Development Model (PDM) and leveraging available resources to enhance productivity. With collective effort, Uganda’s vision of becoming a middle-income country is within reach, driven by a thriving agricultural sector.
During the recent 2024 forum on China-Africa Cooperation Summit, China announced 10 partnership initiatives or actions covering 10 areas of cooperation between the Asian nation and East African country in the coming few years. Among these are the partnerships for agriculture and livelihood.
The partnership presents Ugandan researchers with invaluable opportunities, including access to cutting-edge research and development in perennial rice plus knowledge exchange in perennial rice cultivation, further reducing labor costs and increasing returns to investment.
The government is in phases of implementing a rural electrification program and promoting the use of alternative and renewable energy sources and promoting the use of energy-efficient technologies aimed at reducing pressure on forests as a source of charcoal production.
There is a need for relevant policies, regulations, technologies, and institutions in Uganda to ensure distribution of healthy food around the country.
As Uganda faces rising temperatures and irregular rainfall patterns, initiatives like these are crucial in ensuring sustainable farming practices that are able to cope with future climate changes.
The government aims at making the country a market leader in the generation and dissemination of appropriate agricultural technologies for sustainable development in semi-arid regions that cover the cattle corridor and five other agro-ecological zones comprising the Eastern Savanna (Teso) region, Karamoja dry lands, Lango, Acholi, and west Nile sub-regions.
Unpredictable weather patterns, prolonged droughts, and floods are already signs of climate change's effects, which pose a serious threat to food production.