The Government of Uganda has intensified efforts to position grain commodities at the center of the country’s export-led industrialization strategy, with Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury (PSST) Ramathan Ggoobi outlining ambitious plans to increase exports and strengthen agro-processing value chains.
Speaking during a meeting with private sector stakeholders on off-take opportunities for grain commodities in Uganda, Dr. Ggoobi said the government’s Tenfold Growth Strategy targets raising exports from the current 12 percent to 50 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
According to the PSST, the strategy seeks to significantly expand Uganda’s agro-industrial output by increasing the export value of agro-industrial products to US$20 billion.
Government also plans to raise manufacturing’s share of exports from 16 percent to 20 percent while doubling the share of medium and high-tech manufactured products from 21 percent to 50 percent.
Dr. Ggoobi emphasized that agriculture remains central to Uganda’s industrial transformation agenda, particularly through value addition and processing of raw agricultural commodities into finished products capable of competing on international markets.
“As part of the effort to boost the knowledge content of the ATMS, there is need for processing of agriculture commodities into finished goods that meet global market standards,” he said.
The remarks come amid growing government focus on agro-industrialization as a key driver of employment creation, export growth and import substitution under Uganda’s economic transformation agenda.
Government is also working on mechanisms to ensure adequate production and supply of raw materials needed to sustain local manufacturing industries, especially in grain processing and animal feed production.
Dr. Ggoobi revealed that under the Parish Revolving Fund (PRF), government had by April 2026 disbursed Shs3.78 trillion to about 3.7 million beneficiaries across the country.
The funds have largely been invested in livestock enterprises including goats, beef cattle, dairy farming and sheep rearing. Beneficiaries have also directed financing into maize and cassava production, which are critical raw materials for the manufacture of animal and fish feeds.
The government believes the investments are already laying the foundation for a more stable agricultural supply chain capable of supporting large-scale agro-processing industries.
To further strengthen commercial grain production, Government in partnership with the Grain Council of Uganda, Pearl Bank, Pride Bank and Housing Finance Bank has established a Shs176 billion Large Scale Commercial Farmers Facility.
The financing facility will offer subsidized loans to large-scale commercial farmers engaged in the production of maize, beans, sorghum and animal fodder in a bid to boost productivity and ensure reliable supply for both domestic and export markets.
Stakeholders at the meeting discussed opportunities to strengthen grain aggregation systems, improve quality standards and expand access to regional and international markets as Uganda seeks to become a major agro-industrial hub in the region.
