The Government of Uganda and the African Union Commission have held a high-level policy dialogue to review Uganda’s progress in domesticating and implementing the Kampala CAADP Declaration and the CAADP Strategy and Action Plan 2026–2035, with a focus on translating continental commitments into practical, coordinated and investment-ready action.
The dialogue, held at Cotton House in Kampala, formed part of the African Union’s country engagement mission on the implementation of the Kampala CAADP Declaration and was led on the African Union side by H.E. Moses Vilakati, African Union Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment.
The Ugandan side was led by Hon. Bright Rwamirama, State Minister for Animal Industry, who represented the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries in the engagement.
The meeting brought together senior Government officials and representatives from key sectors to assess progress, identify implementation bottlenecks, strengthen inter-ministerial coordination and agree on priority interventions to accelerate Uganda’s agrifood systems transformation.
Uganda hosted the Extraordinary African Union Summit in January 2025, which adopted the Kampala CAADP Declaration on building resilient and sustainable agrifood systems in Africa.
The subsequent CAADP Strategy and Action Plan 2026–2035 provides a continental framework for turning these commitments into measurable results.
Leading the Ugandan delegation, Hon. Bright Rwamirama, State Minister for Animal Industry, said Uganda has already undertaken a range of interventions that directly respond to the commitments under the Kampala Declaration.
He highlighted Government interventions in food and nutrition security, improved seed varieties, quality planting and stocking materials, extension services, disease control, mechanisation, irrigation and agricultural infrastructure.
“When we put all the interventions together, we are up to the task of fulfilling the requirements of the CAADP Strategy.”
Hon. Rwamirama emphasised that implementation requires a coordinated Government approach, noting that agricultural transformation cannot be achieved by the agriculture sector working in isolation.
“Government has taken a clear direction that Ministries should not work in isolation or in silos.”
He noted that Uganda is increasingly turning challenges within the agricultural sector into opportunities for investment, including in animal feeds, veterinary pharmaceuticals and vaccine production.
The Minister further highlighted Uganda’s work on regional cooperation, including harmonisation of policies and efforts to address transboundary animal diseases, with the aim of strengthening agricultural production and regional trade.
Hon. Sanjay Tana, Minister of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, noted that Uganda has made significant progress in agricultural production and is now focusing increasingly on value addition, agro-processing, branding and access to international markets.
He pointed to Uganda’s transformation from a net importer of several food products to a country that is increasingly self-sufficient and exporting to regional and international markets.
“Today, we are not only self-sufficient in many of these products, but we are also feeding the region and exporting to other parts of the world.”
Hon. Tana said the next challenge is to sustain this growth by developing stronger value chains and expanding agro-processing.
“The challenge before us is no longer simply how to feed ourselves, the refugees we host or our neighbours. The challenge is how to sustain this growth.”
He identified opportunities in honey, shea butter, fruit, soya, sesame, chia seeds and pumpkin seeds, among others, while emphasising the need to connect Uganda’s high-quality agricultural products to global markets.
“The challenge is: how do we get these products onto the global market?”
Hon. Simon Mulongo, State Minister for Labour, Employment and Industrial Relations, stressed that agricultural transformation must be supported by skills, technology and an empowered workforce.
“You cannot address food production without skills, skilled manpower, empowered labour and technology. These elements must work together.”
He highlighted Government programmes targeting youth and women through skilling, agro-processing support and access to affordable financing.
Hon. Mulongo also emphasised the importance of the Parish Development Model in bringing productive financing closer to communities and supporting the transition from subsistence to commercial agriculture.
H.E. Moses Vilakati, African Union Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment, who led the CAADP delegation, welcomed Uganda’s progress and stressed the importance of moving from commitments to implementation.
“Our major challenge as Africa has not necessarily been a lack of discussions. The problem has been implementation. We tend to spend a lot of time talking and less time implementing what we have agreed upon.”
H.E. Vilakati said the African Union is promoting a 100-Day Rolling Plan to drive practical and high-impact interventions in agrifood systems.
The priorities include soil health mapping and monitoring, fertiliser systems and blending, quality and climate-resilient seed systems, irrigation, fisheries and aquaculture, investment mobilisation, post-harvest management and stronger participation of women and youth.
He welcomed Uganda’s progress in soil mapping, noting that understanding soil characteristics is critical to improving agricultural productivity.
“Without proper knowledge of our soils, we will not be able to adequately enhance agricultural productivity and production.”
He also highlighted Africa’s significant potential in the blue economy, particularly fisheries and aquaculture, as an opportunity to improve nutrition, generate employment, increase exports and accelerate economic growth.
The dialogue reaffirmed that implementation of the Kampala CAADP Declaration requires coordinated action across Government and cannot be the responsibility of the agriculture sector alone.
Uganda’s existing coordination mechanisms, including the role of the Office of the Prime Minister in bringing together Ministries and Government agencies, were highlighted as important in strengthening implementation, monitoring and accountability.
The engagement also underscored the importance of private-sector participation and investment in unlocking opportunities across the agricultural value chain.
Priority areas discussed included soil health, fertiliser systems, quality seed, irrigation, fisheries and aquaculture, strategic agricultural value chains, post-harvest management, agro-processing, market access and investment.
The engagement is expected to contribute to a clear implementation roadmap for Uganda, including priority interventions and quick wins, clarified institutional roles, strengthened coordination, investment and resource mobilisation, and structured follow-up.
The Government of Uganda reaffirmed its commitment to working closely with the African Union Commission, development partners, the private sector, farmers and other stakeholders to translate the Kampala CAADP commitments into tangible results.
The dialogue reinforced a shared commitment to moving from declaration to delivery, from production to value addition, and from fragmented interventions to coordinated investment in resilient and sustainable agrifood systems.