Govt Launches Free Fertiliser Distribution to Boost Farmers’ Productivity

What the report says

The Ugandan government has launched a free fertiliser distribution programme for targeted farmers, with an initial batch of 173,913 bags intended mainly for producers in strategic value chains such as coffee, tea and cocoa. According to Nile Post, the inputs were procured by the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries from ITRACOM Fertilizers Uganda and will be handed out at no cost under a Presidential Directive.

The launch took place at the ministry headquarters in Entebbe, where Agriculture Minister Frank Tumwebaze said the effort is meant to support more precise, evidence-based farming and improve yields and incomes. The ministry says the programme is a response to declining soil fertility and low fertiliser use, both of which officials say have been limiting productivity in Uganda’s agricultural sector.

The report cites ministry statistics showing average fertiliser consumption rose to 12.4 kilogrammes per hectare in 2024, but remains far below the benchmark of 50 kilogrammes per hectare of cropland. Officials also linked the intervention to Uganda’s export ambitions, especially in coffee, which remains a major earner for the economy.

Permanent Secretary Maj. Gen. David Kasura-Kyomukama said the fertiliser will be marked as government property and should not be sold or diverted. He also said beneficiaries should not pay any fees. State Minister Desire Muhooza urged farmers to work with extension workers, while the ministry and experts stressed that fertiliser use should be paired with broader soil management practices for best results.