Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment Plot 96, Kanjokya Street, Kamwokya P. O. Box 29836, Kampala Tel: +256 312 812150 Email: [email protected]; [email protected] Website: http://www.acode-u.org Infosheet No. 33, 2015 TRANSFORMATION OF AGRICULTURE FOR WEALTH CREATION Involvement of UPDF in NAADS Programme and its Effectiveness By Barbara Ntambirweki-Karugonjo & Emma Jones and parts of Eastern Uganda on a pilot basis to carry out roles hitherto meant for NAADS. The outcome was ABSTRACT that these military officers posted impressive results within just two years. Building on the success of that pilot programme in boosting agricultural production, In 2001, the government launched the National the commander of Operation Wealth Creation, General Agriculture Advisory Services (NAADS) programme Caleb Akandwanaho, launched a partnership between with the overall goal of supporting transformation of Makerere University College of Agricultural and the agriculture sector from subsistence to commercial Environment Sciences (CAES), NAADS and Uganda farming. Over the years, the NAADS programme has Peoples Defence Forces (UPDF) to implement the been riddled with corruption and misappropriation of new NAADS model. The goal of the partnership is to funds, poor distribution of seedlings to farmers, and share knowledge and skills that address challenges politicization of selection of beneficiaries. In June 2014, facing agricultural production in Uganda, focusing President Museveni announced that the army would particularly on the reduction of post-harvest losses be entrusted with the role of transforming Agriculture. and managing the supply and distribution of quality Frustrated by the challenges in the agriculture sector, inputs to farmers. President Museveni decided to redesign the NAADS programme by deploying UPDF officers to Luweero In order to triger a deeper understanding about policy Report of Proceedings of the 56th Session of the State of the Nation Platform 1 shift in the Agriculture sector, the Advocates Coalition and key stakeholders to understand the new for Development and Environment (ACODE) organized structure of NAADS including the working the 56th State of the Nation Platform to deliberate on relationships between academia, government the future of agriculture in Uganda and, particularly and civil society organizations in transforming the role of the military in implementation of NAADS. the NAADS programme.2 The theme of the session was “Transformation of Agriculture for Wealth Creation: Involvement of UPDF in B. BRIEF BACKGROUND TO THE NAADS Programme and its Effectiveness.” AGRICULTURE SECTOR IN UGANDA A. INTRODUCTION The agriculture sector in Uganda employs approximately 66% of the country’s working population.3 The Ministry “The Government disburses 120 billion shillings to districts of Agricultural Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) for NAADS activities every year. There is no change in is tasked with increasing rural incomes and livelihoods economic status of rural beneficiaries. This money always through improved household food and nutrition security. stops at the top in salaries of NAADS Coordinators and MAAIF oversees eight semi-autonomous agencies, one the real beneficiaries do not get any money. Therefore we of which is the National Agricultural Advisory Service have to restructure and have all NAADS coordinators out 1” – NAADS.4 The NAADS programme encompasses four areas of activity: advisory and information services The 56th State of the Nation (STON) Platform focused to farmers; technology development and linkages on the future of agriculture in Uganda and in particular to markets; technical auditing of service providers; the role of the military in implementation of NAADS. and private sector institutional development. NAADS The dialogue brought together government, academic, operates as a public-private extension service delivery technical, Civil Society and private sector participants approach geared towards increasing market-oriented to engage in open and honest discussions about agricultural production by empowering farmers to transformation of the agriculture sector. The speakers demand and control agricultural services. As NAADs for the session included Prof. Bernard Bashaasha from receives the majority of the agricultural budget it is Makerere University, who discussed the partnership largely synonymous with agriculture in Uganda as it between Makerere University, College of Agriculture operates visibly and widely at local government level. and Environment Sciences and Dr. Samuel Mugasi, Executive Director, NAADS presented on the Status However, NAADS programme has received wide and Challenges of the NAADS programme particularly criticisms not only from those expecting to benefit from 5 the involvement of the UPDF officers in the NAADS the services, but also from independent evaluations. programme. Mr Morrison Rwakakamba, Executive The criticisms focus on NAADS as a project that has Director Agency for Transformation discussed the failed to account for large amounts of taxpayers’ presentations and made recommendations for money. The Government decided to explore a shift to transforming agriculture in the country. The session a unified (single spine) agricultural extension system was chaired by Hon. Beti Kamya, President of the handled exclusively by the MAAIF. However, recently, Uganda Federal Alliance. The overall objective of the the UPDF veterans were mandated by the President 56th STON was to create a common understanding of to work within the NAADS structure. An often heard critical challenges to NAADS and the role of UPDF in criticism of this strategy is that the military lacks the addressing some of the issues that have undermined expertise to carry out effective extension in the sector. the effectiveness of the programme. The objectives of the 56th STON were as follows: 2 Partnership between NAADS Programme, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Makerere University and the Uganda Peoples Defence Forces (UPDF). 1. To promote a deeper understanding of NAADS in 3 Uganda National Bureau of Statistics (2013) Statistical Abstract. transforming the agricultural sector in Uganda [Available; www.ubos.org.] from the point of view of technical leaders, 4 The NAADs programme started following an Act of Parliament political leaders, farmers, the private sector and in 2001 and has two project phases to support a 25 year vision. The initial seven years for the first phase cover the NAADS Secretariat. FY2001/2002 - 2007/2008, estimated by NAADs to cost 2. To understand the recent interventions and US$108 million . There is little available information on Phase current strategies undertaken at the national II funding. and district levels to improve the agricultural 5 See for example, Barungi, J. (2013). Agri-Food System Governance and Service Delivery in Uganda: A Case Study of sector, particularly the future of NAADS and Tororo District. ACODE Policy Research Series, No.61. Kampala, UPDF involvement, and whether strategies are Uganda. Rwakakamba and Lukwago (2014).The changing face clearly understood by the citizens. of NAADS and what the entry of Uganda People’s Defence Forces will mean for Uganda’s agriculture. Public Policy Issue 3. To provide an opportunity for political leaders Paper No: 004/2014. Agency for Transformation (www. agencyft.org), Kampala, Uganda; and Okoboi, G., Kuteesa, A., 1 Monitor Newspaper, 2014; President Museveni speaking at &Barungi, M. (2013).The Impact of the National Agricultural Celebrations to mark 28 years of NRM int Mayuge District in Advisory Services Program on Household Production and Eastern Uganda. Welfare in Uganda. African Growth Initiative. Working Paper, 7. 2 Report of Proceedings of the 56th Session of the State of the Nation Platform It is against this background that ACODE organised the a pivotal role in knowledge application by training the 56th STON to explore and clarify the proposed military UPDF staff to oversee the new NAADS initiatives, and involvement in the NAADS programme, to understand in effectively managing the results from the farmers. the scope and scale of planned activities and the It was noted that CAES was already working with the status and challenges of implementing agricultural UPDF by training officers over a three week period development. At the time of organizing this STON, there to impart basic skills on topics like; agricultural was an information vacuum regarding the proposed mechanisation, irrigation, crop and animal husbandry intervention by the UPDF into the implementation of and aquaculture. The new NAADS model is expected NAADS. to add new players and strategies and, in the case of the partnership with Makerere University, to draw on C. PRESENTATIONS institutional strengths and the adoption of knowledge for application. Prof. Bashaasha stressed that UPDF was to work within the NAADS framework with original Presenter: Prof. Bernard Bashaasha, College of NAADS players who remain fully engaged. Agriculture and Environmental Sciences (CAES) Makerere University With regard to the nature of NAADS, CAES and UPDF partnership, three priority areas of cooperation have been agreed namely; 1) to support a single spine agricultural extension system after the reform of NAADS, 2) to support post-harvest management and value addition, 3) to support production, supply and distribution of quality tree and forest planting materials. Prof. Bashaasha revealed that CAES brings a variety of competencies to this partnership,