No Access | 2024-04-12

Assessment of the FY 2023/24 agro-industrialisation programme budget towards provision of agricultural extension in Uganda

Authors/Editors: Systems Admin ,  Brian Sserunjogi (PhD) ,  Sarah Ssewanyana (PhD) ,  Rehema Kahunde ,  Florence Nakazi ,  Sheila Christine Nakkazi

Abstract:

This brief examines the budget allocation inadequacies within the FY 2023/24 agro-industrialisation programme budget that are likely to impede provision of agricultural extension services in Uganda. The brief makes the following observations: First, no budget allocation exists for the non-wage operation grant at Local Government (LG) level to support the provision of agricultural extension services. Second, the absence of the non-wage extension grant notwithstanding, a total of UGX 141.5 billion wage budget was allocated for the salaries of agricultural extension staff at LG. This implies that the recently increased number of recruited extension officers at LGs, are likely to remain redundant. Third, despite the decentralisation of most of the AGI programme functions to LGs, a large portion of the AGI budget continues to be retained by MAAIF agencies at the centre. Moreover, a large portion of the retained funds are project loans with limited flexibility for reallocation towards the agricultural extension grant. Given the rigidity of project loan funds, Government could consolidate all the scattered agricultural extension funds within Ministries, Department, Agencies (MDAs) under the different institutions responsible for delivering on the agro-industrialisation programme.