Slight increase in Uganda agriculture budget

DEMAND: The private sector has been a vital catalyst.

The budget allocation for the Ministry of Agriculture Animal Husbandry and Fisheries is expected to be increased by Ush 58 billion (about $23 million) in the financial year 2014 /2015 translating to 3.1 % share of the National Budget According to the National Budget flame work paper (NBFP)for the financial year 2014/2015.

However, in spite the increase in the sectors budget, civil society Organisation in the country advocating for the development of the Sector believes that such improvement in the Agriculture sector may not translate to improvement in the performance of the sector if the central Government do not come up with strong reforms in the agriculture sector

Presenting position paper for the civil society on the budget allocations for the financial year 2014/2015focusing ion Agriculture sector during a Civil Society pre –Budget public dialogue organized by Civil Society Budget Advocay Group (CSBAG) in Kampala The coordinator of Budget at CSBAG Julius Mukunda applauded Government for improving resources allocation to key sectors like agriculture in the coming financial year 3014/2015 but he warned that without strong reforms such as empowering the mother ministry to monitor the same autonomous institutions in the ministry ,regulating prices for Agriculture inputs on the market such improvement will not help the local communities in the country

“We are seeing some improvement in resources allocation this financial year but our greatest worry is on the supervision of those resources as civil society we call up on Government to ensure that Government resources are utilized effectively this will enhance social development in the country the weakens in monitoring has created conducive environment for Agriculture funds to be swindled by the official in the semi-Autonomous institutions under the ministry of Agriculture” he explained

He said corruption in public sector robs Ugandan citizens of the right to enjoy public services that they pay for through taxation

Following the proposed increment of the Ush of 58bn the total budget for the Ministry of Agriculture will now stand at Ush.440.7bn (USD$177m)if the parliament approves it’s in the financial year 20114/2015.

However during the meeting the participants blamed the government for splitting the main ministry of agriculture institutions saying this has meant government spending considerable money in administration leaving much less for supporting farmers in the country.

By Samuel Nabwiiso, Tuesday, April 22nd, 2014


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