Uganda National Farmers Federation (UNFFE) in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), and other partners has for the past years organized the Source of the Nile National Agricultural Shows geared at creating a platform where all agricultural value chain actors such as farmers, agro-processors, agri-input dealers, agro-machinery companies, financial institutions, agro-insurance companies, and other sector-wide players like Ministries, Departments and Agencies, development partners, NGOs, the private sector meet in one place to showcase a variety of agricultural innovations, latest interventions, share experience, get exposed to practical learning and demonstration but also knowledge benchmarking, business to business networking and market opportunities for both exhibitors and show goers. The National Agricultural Show is the biggest and leading agricultural exhibition in Uganda and East Africa with over 500 exhibitors showcasing different products and services.
This year’s edition of the 30th National Agricultural Show took a full 10 days starting from the 26th of July to the 04th of August 2024 at the Source of the Nile Agricultural show grounds in Jinja under the theme: “Innovating pathways to farm business led Agro-industrialization”
The entrance fee was at Ugx 5,000 (Five thousand shillings).
Why this theme:
The government of Uganda recognizes that 7.8M households in Uganda derive their livelihood from the agriculture sector, 67 percent of these agricultural households had holdings of less than 1 ha, and only 13 percent had more than 2 Ha (UBOS 2022). As the country struggles with building resilience and recovering from the surge of COVID-19 and its related challenges, the report also states that 68% of the agricultural households are still practising subsistence farming (farming for the stomach) yet under the 3rd National Development Plan, we are aiming at transforming the Ugandan Society from a Peasant to a Modern and Prosperous Country within 30 years, to increase the Average Household Incomes and Improve the Quality of Life of Ugandans.
The NDP III theme is “Sustainable Industrialization for inclusive growth, employment and sustainable wealth creation” and the NRM Manifesto 2021/2026 emphasizes creating jobs and wealth for all Ugandans through accelerating the industrialization Agenda. This to us as a UNFFE aligned very well with the theme of this year’s 30th edition of the National Agricultural Show in Jinja.
UNFFE is part of all efforts to ensure sustainable agricultural development for the economic betterment of all Ugandans through a platform like the National Agricultural Show.
Why come to the Show
- The leading agro-based institutions and companies in the country offer continuous training sessions and practical demonstrations
- The show fosters regional agribusiness networking among domestic farms and regional and international companies.
- A platform to learn current technologies of production in the respective agricultural value chains
- A potential market for your products and more so promoting the Buy Uganda Build Uganda strategy
- The show is a good platform for promoting domestic & international agro-tourism
- The show presents an opportunity for farmer-to-farmer learning and experience sharing
Who exhibited?
- Farmers, Farmer groups and Associations.
- District Farmers Associations (UNFFE Members)
- Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) e.g. NARO, NAGRIC, NAADS, OWC, UCDA, UDC, BOU and others.
- Agro-processors
- Farm inputs and Equipment suppliers.
- Agri-finance institutions
- Agri-technological companies
- Agri-insurance companies
- Agri-machinery companies
- Private sector and NGOs
During the 10-day event, UNFFE in partnership with different partners and strategic institutions organized a number of important dialogues and practical training sessions and symposia. Below is a summary of the events which were held:
- Dialogue on Commercial oil crop production & remedies for greening disease among citrus farmers in Eastern Uganda led by the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS)
- Dialogue on the food security situation in Uganda led by NAADS
- Commercial passion fruit production training led by the National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO) and Commercial goat keeping and beekeeping Training led by NARO
- Symposium on Agriculture Financing led by Uganda Development Bank & Bank of Uganda
- Dialogue on Gender issues affecting farmers led by Africa Agribusiness Academy (AAA)
- Official opening by H.E the President of Uganda
- Training on the Promotion of Macadamia & Hass Avocado for agro-industrialization & export-led by NAADS
- Training on Fish farming & commercial banana production led by NARO
- Symposium on the role of Digitalization in agriculture led by MasterCard
- Online expo led by Malaysian Stakeholders
- Dialogue on the National Coffee Act led by Solidaridad
- Dialogue on horticulture led by Solidaridad
- Awards ceremony to the winners and official closing ceremony
This year’s show was officially supported by our very good partners Community Pass powered by Mastercard, Uganda Development Bank, Solidaridad, TRIAS Uganda, and Vi-Agroforestry. As UNFFE, we extend a since vote of thanks to our official sponsors, exhibitors and showgoers for working with us to see that the show comes back in full gear after two years of lock due to COVID-19. We also recognize the USAID/Feed the Future Institutional Systems Strengthening Activity -ISSA for helping the UNFFE communication team in documenting key events and functions during the show.
From the evaluation carried out, this year’s edition of the 29th National Agricultural Show was a big success with over 350 exhibitors and over 150,000 showgoers who came to see and attend different events during the 10 days. It is noted that the quality of exhibits showcased at the was addressing most of what our member organization, partners and the general public were yearning for.
We call upon other partners in the agricultural sector to join UNFFE in organizing next year’s 29th edition of the National Agricultural Show which will be another opportunity for all Ugandans to come and learn new and trending agriculture practices, the latest agricultural technologies and be part of important agricultural dialogues.
