Bunyoro Affairs Minister Sounds a Wakeup-Call for Commercialization of Agriculture and Value Addition.
Hoima: The state minister for Bunyoro Affairs Hon Mary Grace Mugasa Akiiki has re-echoed a need for all stakeholders in Hoima District and Bunyoro Regional to focus all their efforts to commercialization of agriculture and promote value addition in order to achieve the 10-fold growth strategy.
Speaking during the Hoima District Budget Conference held on Thursday at Hoima Resort Hotel, Hon Mugasa said that whereas Bunyoro region is blessed with oil and gas, people should venture into commercial agriculture production to tap into the emerging market opportunities than relying on production for home consumption.
She has urged agriculture extension workers to fold-up their sleeves and join farmers in the field to equip them with good agronomical practices, improve on inputs and proper post-harvest management in order to meet the standards.
She added that the Bunyoro Affairs docket in the Office of the Prime Minister is lobbying for about 500 Billion Shillings to support the Bunyoro Development Plan which will include uplifting households from poverty.
The Hoima District Chairperson in his keynote speech which was presented by Hon Fridah Kabagahya the Vice Chairperson highlighted the key steps which have taken to improve frontline service delivery and infrastructure, including the Government allocating UShs. 358m as wage and equipping extension workers, and UShs. 10.8m for tourism development. He said the government has also provided, UShs. 1bn for road maintenance.
He added that Hoima District according to Local Government Management of Service Delivery (LGMSD) Performance results as per the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), the overall score increased from 53% in 2023, to 63% in 2024 and finally to 77% in 2025, ranking 50th out of 154 districts in 2025 upward from 100th position in 2023.
Hajat Sarah Nakalungi the Chief Administrative Officer says the 2027/2028 budget will focus on full implementation of the 10-fold growth strategy which is anchored on Agro-Industrialization, Tourism Development,Minerals including Oil and gas(Peterol Chemicals) and Science,Technology,Innovations and Creative Industry-ATMS.
Hamidu Byamugisha who represented the Uganda National Oil Company-UNOC said that there are many investment opportunities which are emerging with rapid acceleration of oil and gas production activities including the ongoing process of developing the Kabalega Industrial Park in Kabaale Sub County.
The District Speaker Hon Mulindambula Jackson has called for doubling efforts in local revenue mobilization by tapping into different revenue sources available and special consideration for funding Hoima district areas which are underserved more especially along the Lake Albert Shores.
Hon Godfrey Kumakech the District Councilor for Buseruka Sub County has called for improvement of security and handling of rampant land conflicts which hampering production.
The theme of the FY 2027/28 Budget will be: “Full Monetisation ofUganda’s Economy through Commercial Agriculture,
Industrialisation, Expanding and Broadening Services, Digital Transformation and Market Access”.
