Farmers ask MAAIF to Finalize Organic Agriculture Bill

Farmers dealing in organic farming have tasked the Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) to finalize the drafting of the National Organic Agriculture Bill to help in the proper implementation of the National Organic Agriculture Policy.

“The ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) should finalize the drafting of the National Organic Agriculture Bill to enable the proper implementation of the National Organic Agriculture Policy,” Chariton Namuwoza, the CEO of the National Organic Agriculture Movement of Uganda (NOGAMU), said during the release of the National Organic Agriculture Statistics in Uganda (2018/21) Report in Kampala.

He noted that government intervention is key in helping the proper growth of organic agriculture in Uganda.

“There is a need for the government to rationalize and operationalize national budgetary funding towards organic agriculture sub-sector to support coordination and execution of programs for more export growth earning and local consumption for health,” he added.

Mererline Kalule, the Head of Advocacy at NOGAMU, said the organic share of agricultural exports in Uganda is projected to reach 12% by the year 2023, a level which had been reached in 2020 but was followed by a fall recently.

She noted that the share of organic agriculture in relation to other agricultural export was 8% in 2018 and 10% in 2019.

“The trajectory in Organic agriculture growth suggests that it is a promising lucrative venture that has enormous potential in transforming the agriculture sector in Uganda,” she said.

The survey recommended the need to establish a comprehensive database through continuous research to eliminate information asymmetry at local, regional, and international levels as evidenced in policy action.

It was commissioned by the National Organic Agriculture Movement of Uganda (NOGAMU) with support from the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) and the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industries and Fisheries MAAIF).

Commenting on the same, Irene Freda Odongtho, the Head of Advocacy and Strategic Relations at MAAIF, said Organic Agriculture has great potential to transform the country economically both domestically and internationally, pledging the ministry’s support.