Coffee seedlings
Coffee seedlings in a nursery bed/ Business Focus photo
MPs have called for an increase in the budget for the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) to cater for additional responsibilities, particularly agricultural extension services and the provision of seedlings.
This follows a report by the Chairperson of Parliament’s Committee on Agriculture Linda Auma, who informed parliament that although the Ministry of Agriculture has taken over the core functions of dissolved agencies such as the Uganda Coffee Development Authority, Dairy Development Authority, Cotton Development Organisation and NAADS, it has not received corresponding funding to support these expanded roles.
Auma has instead revealed that the ministry’s budget has been reduced from 1.1 trillion shillings to 806.9 billion shillings, a reduction she says will severely constrain production and productivity.
Auma has also warned that the 15 billion shillings allocated for coffee seedlings and 5 billion shillings for hoes for smallholder farmers is inadequate.
A number of Members of Parliament have expressed concern over the untimely distribution of seeds to the population, noting that they are overwhelmed with requests from constituents.
The Minister of State for Agriculture Fred Kyakulaga in response clarified that funding for seedlings now falls under the Parish Development Model although the ministry has requested that some resources be retained as people adapt to the new model.
People really need coffee seedling