Getting Out of Poverty in Uganda through Education in Agriculture

Abstract

This is a paper review of work presented at two different forums at Makerere University. One was the Conference on school agriculture in Uganda organized by the Department of Agricultural Extension Education and Innovation Studies. The same paper was shared with stakeholders of Uganda Agribusiness Council on a different day in a Workshop on Agricultural education, Agrifood systems and Youth unemployment in Uganda. Using library research & reflection with excerpts from fieldwork, document and content analysis, data were generated for the paper. Uganda’s economy is reliant on agriculture which has a low agricultural productivity demonstrating some inabilities in poverty reduction. The majority of the farmers are smallholder farmers engaging mostly women labour. Food and nutrition security are not assured. The agricultural commodities for exports are not so competitive because of the low agricultural value chain with little value addition. The country is sliding into being a net importer of food despite having a huge potential for agriculture and the natural resources possessed. A green revolution is necessary with relevant research and value addition of agricultural commodities supported by better infrastructure, and markets which are all dependent on better education & trained human resource to improve the country’s economy.