Government has initiated talks with the World Bank Authorities using the diplomatic path to see whether they can reverse their decision taken a couple of days ago where they resolved to halt lending to Uganda because of the enactment of the enactment of the Anti-Homosexuality Act, 2023.
This was revealed by the Rt. Hon Prime Minister Robbinah Nabbanja at her office while launching the government plan of the country wide tour to aimed at communicating to the public on the government strategy to revamp the agricultural sector.
She said that if the World Bank persists with its earlier decision, government will explore other sources and means of financing its budget. It will as were consider spending on only priority programs and projects to ensure that the citizens receive the required services.
The efforts to revamp the agricultural sector are aimed at reducing on the subsistence farming, this prompted government to embarked on a country wide campaign through touring the different regions and reach out to the masses. The Prime Minister therefore, will traverse the country with the line ministers and other concerned departmental workers to sensitize and explain the president’s policy guidelines to the masses on how best they can embrace the modern practices are change from subsistence to commercial farming.
The tour is scheduled to commence on August 18, 2023 in greater Mubende particularly in Mityana District were the function will be held at Kiryokya Primary School and on August 19 they will be in Kasanda District and on the same day another function will be held in Mubende town at Kasana Ssaza grounds while on Sunday they will wind up with Kyankwanzi at Bukwiri and Kiboga in the town council at Ssaza grounds.
“Government program of social economic transformation have been over the time hindered by working in isolation by the agriculture sector and other sectors of the economy. This has now changed and the president directed that the ministries should work together while implementing plans and policies.’’ Rt. Hon. Nabbanja said.
She further said that, as the leader of government business, she was tasked by the president to coordinate the implementation of the policy guidelines by reaching out to the people and ensure that policies on production, disease control, mechanization and irrigation, farmers’ education and partnership with big land owners are communicated to the masses right from the grass roots.
The Prime Minister also said that, challenges like land grabbing, value addition and land fragmentation as well as middle men who destroy the system by supplying fake inputs because they are just money minded will also be handled and the stake holders will be able to give their views on such matters.
The agriculture minister although is considered to be handling the back-borne of the economy, it received 3% of the total national budget which many experts say that this is still very low but the Prime minister down played this when asked about the low funding saying that because of linkage with other ministries like Local Government, agriculture get what is required also through such ministries.
The Minister of State for agriculture in charge of crop production Fred Bwino Kyakulaga who also attended the launch said that during the reach out, they will guide, facilitate and convince the citizens to wake up and embrace modern farming technics.
He also said that they will as well support and encourage those who have already crossed from subsistence to the money economy so that they don’t back slide to the subsistence farming.
According to Hon. Kyakulaga, government agencies like NEMA, Water and Sewerage Corporation, PDM, officials, UMEME and the Private Sector players who deal in the different inputs will also be available.
By George Bukenya