Parliament has thwarted the Government’s attempt to dissolve key agricultural agencies, including the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA), National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADs), Dairy Development Authority (DDA), and Cotton Development Authority. The Ministry of Agriculture had proposed to absorb these agencies, but Parliament rejected the move, dealing a significant setback to the ministry’s plans.
During the consideration of the bills, none of the four Ministers from the Ministry of Agriculture were present, and despite efforts by other ministers to support the Government’s proposals, MPs refused to allow the bills to proceed to the Committee stage for further scrutiny.
Muwanga Kivumbi, Member of Parliament for Butambal County, emphasized the importance of adequately funding these agencies in the upcoming budget to ensure their effective performance since Parliament had decided to retain them.
The Agriculture Committee, in its report on the Dairy Amendment Bill, urged MPs not to abolish the Dairy Development Authority (DDA), citing concerns about the livelihoods of 12 million Ugandans in 87 milk-producing districts. They pointed out that since its establishment in 1998, the DDA had significantly contributed to the revival of Uganda’s dairy industry. Milk production had increased from 2.7 billion litres in 2019 to 3.9 billion litres by 2023, with the number of milk collection centers rising from 15 to 547 during the same period. Additionally, the number of milk processing companies had grown from one to 160, with a processing capacity of 3.9 million litres per day.
The Agriculture Committee dismissed the Government’s claim that the DDA had become redundant, asserting that it had effectively fulfilled its mandate of developing and regulating the dairy industry in Uganda. They argued that the DDA’s services were crucial for promoting increased milk production, sustainable industry growth, and economic development while ensuring nutritional standards in the country.
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