Hadith Namyalo Head of Office of the National Chairman (ONC) National Resistance Movement (NRM) has called for a review of Uganda’s agricultural input support framework, citing rising production costs and limited access to quality planting materials.
Addressing the media in Kampala Namyalo said coffee growers, are struggling to afford seedlings at a time when the government is encouraging households to shift from subsistence farming to commercial agriculture.
Namyalo said that feedback from ONC coordinators across the country shows that the rising costs of seedlings, fertilisers, manure, transport and labour are making it difficult for farmers to establish and expand their enterprises.
“Farmers are increasingly finding it difficult to access affordable and quality planting materials, particularly coffee seedlings. This undermines efforts to move households from subsistence farming into commercial production,” Namyalo said.
The ONC said the challenge also raises questions about the effectiveness of productive financing under the Parish Development Model (PDM), arguing that access to financing alone may not be sufficient if farmers cannot afford the inputs required to establish and sustain their enterprises.
The office is therefore calling on the government to review the agricultural input support and distribution framework, with greater emphasis on affordability, quality, timely delivery and regional suitability.
Namyalo said Uganda needs a more strategic, region-specific approach that takes into account the country’s different agro-ecological zones.
“What works for a coffee farmer in Central or Western Uganda may not necessarily work for a farmer in another part of the country. Agricultural support should respond to the needs and conditions of different regions,” she said.
The ONC is also calling for stronger monitoring to prevent the diversion of agricultural inputs and improved coordination among government agencies, local governments, agricultural extension workers and farmer organisations.
The office said reducing the cost of agricultural production should remain a priority given the sector’s contribution to household incomes, employment and Uganda’s export earnings.
She argued that regularly reviewing and adjusting the agricultural input support system to respond to farmers’ changing needs could improve productivity and strengthen Uganda’s transition from subsistence to commercial agriculture.
Over 1.8 million households grow coffee, which contributes nearly a third of the country’s export earnings, paying for critical infrastructure like roads, hospitals, and schools. In May 2025, Uganda surpassed Ethiopia as Africa’s top exporter for the first time; coffee exports were valued at over $USD 2 billion.
