The Minister congratulated the Principal, and thanked H.E. the President of the Republic of Uganda, and the Korean government, through KOICA, for their contributions to the NFLC. He suggested inviting the President to the commissioning ceremony once the project is completed, with the commercial wings of poultry, dairy, and piggery fully operational.
He emphasized the need for the Centre to change people’s mindsets about farming, encouraging them to view it as a profitable enterprise. He also highlighted the mutual understanding between MAAIF management and the NFLC regarding the timeline for ending subventions after the completion of the commercial wing of the NFLC II project.
The Minister advocated for the Centre to focus on generating revenue through training and commercial farming. He proposed that NFLC become a model for agricultural commercialization, showcasing ventures such as growing high-value vegetables and other enterprises on a commercial scale. As an example, he mentioned poultry farming, where a farmer with 100,000 layers producing at an 80% rate (80,000 eggs) could yield 2,600 trays daily at Ugx 10,000 per tray, generating a monthly profit of Ugx 390,000,000.
He pledged that the Ministry would invest in the startup of the commercial wing in collaboration with the Korean government and suggested that securing additional land could be managed through temporary land-use agreements.
Additionally, he proposed linking NFLC with traditional farm schools across the country, establishing it as a national leader in agricultural training.
Lastly, he suggested requesting the Ministry of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development to allow agricultural entities to operate commercially, retaining and reinvesting their earnings rather than remitting them to the treasury.
Briefing On Implementation Of Nflc Ii Project (2021 – 2028)
The National Farmers Leadership Centre (NFLC) was established as a Presidential Initiative to promote national development through mindset change and agricultural technology transfer. Supported by a grant from the Republic of Korea, the first phase of the NFLC project was concluded in 2017, and its management was handed over to the Government of Uganda, represented by the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry & Fisheries (MAAIF).
In 2019, MAAIF sought support from the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) to address challenges limiting the NFLC’s reach and training effectiveness. This led to the approval of the NFLC II Project, which aims to empower agricultural human resource capacity to enhance competitiveness in Uganda.
Project Overview
- Goal: Empower human resources for agricultural and rural development.
- Duration: Dec. 2021–2028
- Budget: $12 million (KOICA: $10M, Uganda Gov.: $2M in-kind)
- Key Outputs:
- Improved training staff and administrative capacity
- Enhanced training environment
Activities Implemented (2023–2024)
- Facility Expansion:
- Design work completed and construction awarded to EGISS Engineering Contractors Ltd set to begin Dec. 2024.
- Capacity Building:
- Staff trained in agricultural production, mindset change, and administration.
- Development of three training manuals on agriculture, leadership, and gender issues.
- Community Support:
- Eight neighboring village groups trained using the farmer field school approach and provided inputs.
- Administrative Improvements:
- Training conducted for staff on planning and government procedures.
- Operational manual development in progress.
Challenges & Way Forward
The project has faced delays in construction commencement. However, key preparatory steps, such as design reviews and contractor selection, are complete. Stakeholders are urged to prioritize the timely completion of construction to fulfill the mission of transforming Uganda’s agricultural sector through training and mindset change.
This initiative underscores Uganda’s commitment to empowering its agricultural sector in line with Vision 2040 and the National Development Plan III.
