Why it is time to invest in Uganda’s Agrifood systems for our shared prosperity

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By David Wozemba

As Uganda hosted the inaugural Agrifood Systems Investment and Financing Summit in Kampala this June, the message was clear: if we are to tackle poverty, hunger, and climate vulnerability decisively, we must rethink how we invest in our food systems.

For too long, discussions around agriculture have been dominated by talk of yields and inputs. But agriculture today is no longer simply about what we grow; it’s about the intricate systems that move food from our soils to our tables, sustain millions of livelihoods, and underpin our national economic resilience.

The Uganda government, development partners, and private sector actors have jointly articulated ambitious plans under the National Development Plan IV, the African Union Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program (CAADP) Kampala Declaration, and our commitments from the UN Food Systems Summit. Yet, beneath these blueprints lies a sobering reality: the scale of investment required to transform Uganda’s agrifood systems far outstrips current financial flows.

The Financing Gap

Across the country, smallholder farmers continue to grapple with limited access to credit, insurance, and markets. Women and youth, who make up the bulk of our rural labour force, remain marginalized by traditional finance structures. Meanwhile, inadequate infrastructure such as poor roads, limited storage, insufficient irrigation, make doing business in agriculture both costly and risky.

Therefore, it is no surprise that our rural communities are disproportionately trapped in cycles of poverty and food insecurity. The lack of reliable, up-to-date agricultural data only compounds the problem, leaving investors flying blind in a sector that desperately needs targeted, evidence-based interventions.

A strong agrifood system extends beyond farmers to include school children who need nutritious meals, youth seeking meaningful employment, entrepreneurs who can build thriving enterprises along the value chain, and consumers who deserve affordable, safe, quality food.

Besides, in the face of climate change, investing in resilient, sustainable agriculture is perhaps our single most important insurance policy. Healthy agrifood systems mean healthy ecosystems, protecting our water sources, preserving biodiversity, and helping mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.

Moving from Summits to Action

The recent Summit underscored promising pathways. From developing inclusive financial products tailored for rural households to leveraging digital tools like mobile money and blockchain for efficiency and transparency, the ideas are there. The challenge is translating them into concrete action that reaches the last mile.

This requires reimagining partnerships. Governments cannot do it alone. We need innovative models that bring in private capital, incentivize climate-smart agriculture, and empower local banks and cooperatives to extend services deeper into rural areas. Development partners and investors must align their support with Uganda’s national priorities, focusing on initiatives that have clear social and economic impact.

Targeted investments in rural infrastructure such as feeder roads, storage, processing hubs, are equally important. They will lower transaction costs, reduce post-harvest losses, and open up new markets, making agriculture a genuinely profitable enterprise.

We commend the leadership Uganda has demonstrated by hosting such a timely summit and spearheading efforts to operationalise the CAADP commitments. But let us be clear: summits alone will not feed our nation. They must catalyse accelerated implementation.

As citizens, we must keep demanding that our leaders prioritise financing for agrifood systems, not as a side project but as central to our economic transformation. As private sector actors, we must explore the untapped opportunities in agribusiness with the same zeal we pursue urban real estate or imports. And as development partners, we must stay the course, supporting Uganda to build robust, resilient, inclusive food systems.

Investing boldly and smartly in Uganda’s agrifood systems is investing in our collective future. It is about jobs, health, wealth creation, and safeguarding our natural resources. The time to act is now, so that every Ugandan, from the farmer in Karamoja to the trader in Kikuubo, can thrive.

The writer is the Country Director AGRA Uganda.