Uganda Proposes Centralized Food and Agriculture Regulatory Authority

The Ugandan Parliament is set to consider the Food and Agriculture Regulatory Authority (FARA) Bill, a legislative proposal intended to create a unified body for regulating agricultural products and food safety. If enacted, this law will transfer regulatory powers currently held by institutions like the National Drug Authority (NDA) and the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) to the new FARA.

Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, Frank Tumwebaze, presented the bill, emphasizing its role in streamlining oversight, tackling institutional fragmentation, and safeguarding public health. The proposed authority will oversee the manufacture, import, export, and distribution of veterinary drugs, agricultural chemicals, and food products.

This move follows a government initiative to rationalize state agencies, but FARA has been designated an exception due to its critical public safety mandate. The minister explained that a dedicated authority is necessary to strengthen the regulation of food, feed, and related inputs, ensuring human, animal, and environmental safety.

The bill’s introduction is the culmination of a five-year process, initiated by the agriculture minister’s appointment of a technical committee to identify gaps in existing regulations for agrochemicals and veterinary medicines. Concerns have been raised about the NDA’s dual role in regulating both human and animal health products, with suggestions that this may contribute to regulatory weaknesses.

Professor John David Kabasa, who chaired the technical committee, highlighted the need for a modern regulatory system to address contemporary challenges in agriculture, including the increased use of chemicals and the complex interactions between humans, animals, and pathogens. The reform aims to create a system capable of ensuring safe food for both domestic consumption and international trade, aligning Uganda’s regulatory framework with international best practices seen in countries like the United States with its centralized FDA.