agriculture 1 May 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Policy Dialogue Urges Agroecology in Uganda's Extension Services for Climate Resilience
Stakeholders at a Kampala policy dialogue hosted by PELUM Uganda emphasized that agroecology must be integrated into national extension services to help farmers combat climate change and boost productivity. Officials and farmers called for reforms to promote sustainable practices amid ongoing challenges like limited outreach and outdated systems. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/magazines/farming/policy-dialogue-pushes-for-agroecology-integration-5443866
A high-level policy dialogue in Kampala, organized by Participatory Ecological Land Use Management (PELUM) Uganda, brought together government officials, extension workers, researchers, and farmers to discuss embedding agroecology into Uganda’s agricultural extension framework.
Agroecology, which uses ecological concepts to enhance biodiversity, soil health, and sustainable land management while cutting external input dependency, was hailed as key to climate resilience for smallholder farmers.
Ministry of Agriculture Commissioner John Lodongkol stressed aligning farming with industrialization through agroforestry and balanced fertilizer use. He outlined reforms like the single-spine extension model, better departmental coordination, and providing motorcycles for field agents to connect research with practical farming.
Challenges persist, including colonial legacies of monocropping that heighten vulnerability to pests, price swings, and weather shocks, as noted by extension coordinator Joseph Okee. Crop diversification is gaining traction in new areas with positive outcomes.
Farmer Sandra Akiror from Teso highlighted indigenous agroecological knowledge but pointed to barriers like poor market access, limited extension support, communication gaps due to low mobile and internet penetration, and the need for local languages and more fieldwork.
Dr. Roseline Nyamutare advocated reframing agriculture as an appealing career for youth by integrating it into school curricula with ties to innovation and business opportunities.
Participants agreed agroecology integration is vital for enduring climate stress, environmental care, and economic gains, urging investments, coordination, and farmer empowerment.
Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)