To improve agricultural output and modernize farming, the Ugandan government, acting through the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry, and Fisheries, has sent 18 tractors to districts in the Bunyoro sub-region. President Yoweri Museveni was represented by Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja, who turned over the equipment.
“This is a fulfillment of the President’s promise to mechanize agriculture in the 2021-2026 manifesto,” Nabbanja stated. She underlined that the National Resistance Movement’s (NRM) goal of modernizing agriculture and raising living standards is in line with mechanization.
The tractors are a component of the mechanization program that President Museveni started in December 2022 to help Ugandan farmers. Noting that agriculture continues to be the foundation of Uganda’s economy, Nabbanja asked local authorities to assist farmers in adopting modern farming practices.
“Farmers can cultivate more land efficiently, increase yields, and lessen the burden of manual labor with these tractors,” Nabbanja said. The project would improve food security and lay the groundwork for sustainable farming methods, she continued.
The tractors will be made available to farmers at a discounted price of UGX 50,000 per acre. Nabbanja reminded caregivers that the tractors are community resources and warned them against overcharging farmers.
A single tractor can clear 10 acres in a single day, saving time and reducing the risk of erratic weather, according to Finance Minister Matia Kasaija, who emphasized the value of mechanization. He urged farmers to take advantage of this chance to increase their output.
Tractor services and contemporary farming advice will be offered by regional agricultural hubs, such as the Bulindi Zonal Agriculture Research and Development Institute (ZARDI). The goal of these facilities is to lessen the logistical difficulties faced by farmers in isolated locations.
Members of parliament and local leaders in Bunyoro commended the administration for bringing the eagerly anticipated tractors. Buhaguzi East MP Stephen Aseera Itaza expressed hope that the tractors will turn agriculture into a profitable industry, while Buyaga West MP Barnabas Tinkasimire demanded better agricultural extension services.
“This is a true transition from primitive to contemporary farming methods. In order to satisfy the enormous demand, we are requesting additional tractors,” Buliisa District Woman Representative Norah Bigirwa Nyendwoha stated.
MPs, Resident District Commissioners (RDCs), district chairpersons, and other local officials attended the occasion.