Sironko District Woman Member of Parliament Hon. Asha Mafabi Nabulo has tabled a motion in Parliament calling on Government to develop and enact a comprehensive legal framework to support the proposed National Smallholder Farmers’ Transformation and Climate Resilience Programme.
Nabulo said Uganda’s smallholder farmers continue to face numerous challenges that undermine agricultural productivity, profitability and competitiveness despite the sector remaining a major source of livelihoods for millions of Ugandans.
She said establishing a clear legal and institutional framework for the programme would provide a coordinated national approach to addressing the challenges facing smallholder farmers while strengthening their ability to withstand the growing effects of climate change.
According to Nabulo, smallholder farmers are particularly vulnerable to climate-related shocks, limited access to affordable agricultural inputs and financing, inadequate markets, low levels of value addition and limited access to modern farming technologies and extension services.
She argued that transforming smallholder agriculture requires more than isolated interventions, calling for a comprehensive national programme supported by legislation, sustainable financing and effective coordination among Government agencies and other stakeholders.
Nabulo said the proposed programme could significantly improve household incomes, increase agricultural productivity and strengthen Uganda’s food security if effectively implemented.
She further projected that the programme could enable Uganda to produce enough food to supply markets across East and Central Africa while lifting an estimated 89 percent of small-scale farmers out of poverty.
The legislator urged Government to treat the transformation of smallholder agriculture as a strategic national priority, saying empowering farmers would not only improve household livelihoods but also expand Uganda’s productive capacity, strengthen rural economies and create opportunities for agro-processing and value addition.
She called for deliberate measures to integrate smallholder farmers into profitable agricultural value chains and ensure they have access to the resources, knowledge, technology, financing and markets needed to transition from subsistence farming to commercially viable agriculture.
Nabulo also emphasised the need to strengthen farmers’ capacity to adapt to climate change, noting that climate-related shocks continue to threaten agricultural production and household incomes.
The motion was tabled during a plenary sitting of Parliament chaired by Deputy Speaker Rt. Hon. Thomas Tayebwa as legislators considered measures aimed at addressing challenges affecting Ugandan communities and the national economy.
Nabulo’s proposal places smallholder farmer transformation and climate resilience at the centre of Uganda’s agricultural development agenda, with the broader goal of building a productive, competitive and sustainable agricultural sector capable of contributing to national and regional food security.
