Les subventions agricoles : le cas de l’Ouganda

This research paper by Jane Nalunga and Jonathan Lubega analyzes agricultural subsidies in Uganda, examining their impact on the economy, livelihoods, and the environment. While initiatives like NAADS and insurance subsidies have increased production and protected some farmers, the authors argue that subsidies are often poorly managed, underfunded, and biased toward large-scale operators, while contributing to environmental degradation through the promotion of agrochemicals and monoculture.

• Agriculture is the primary livelihood in Uganda, employing approximately 66% of the population and contributing 24.5% to the GDP, yet public funding remains below the 10% of public expenditure commitment established by the Malabo Declaration.
• The government has implemented several input-focused initiatives, including the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) created in 2001 and the 2013 'wealth creation' operation, which distributes inputs like seedlings to transition farmers from subsistence to commercial agriculture.
• A World Bank-funded project for agricultural clusters benefited 450,000 farming households across 12 clusters, focusing on five priority products: maize, cassava, beans, rice, and coffee.
• Agricultural insurance subsidies, where the government covers 50% of premiums for smallholders and 30% for largeholders, saw a significant increase in uptake from 45,704 insured farmers six years prior to 687,608 by March 2023, though medium and large farmers are the primary beneficiaries.
• Government support for seedlings, fertilizers, and direct financing has contributed to a surge in coffee production; in August 2024, Uganda exported 837,915 60kg bags of coffee valued at 221.63 million USD, representing an 82.98% increase in value compared to August 2023.
• Subsidies are criticized for being supply-driven rather than demand-driven, leading to the late delivery of inputs or the provision of unsuitable hybrid seeds that require management techniques beyond the capacity of smallholders.
• Agricultural subsidies negatively impact the environment by encouraging monoculture, increasing greenhouse gas emissions through the use of agrochemicals, and undermining farmer seed systems via the promotion of hybrid seeds.
• The authors recommend redesigning subsidies through a bottom-up approach involving smallholders, private sector representatives, and scientists to ensure support covers the entire value chain from inputs to market.

APA

Nalunga, J., & Lubega, J. (2024). Les subventions agricoles : le cas de l’Ouganda. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/fr/articles/policy-analysis/agricultural-subsidies-uganda

Chicago

Nalunga, Jane, and Jonathan Lubega. Les subventions agricoles : le cas de l’Ouganda. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2024. https://www.iisd.org/fr/articles/policy-analysis/agricultural-subsidies-uganda.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Nalunga |first1=Jane |last2=Lubega |first2=Jonathan |title=Les subventions agricoles : le cas de l’Ouganda |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=December 2024 |url=https://www.iisd.org/fr/articles/policy-analysis/agricultural-subsidies-uganda |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{nalunga2024les, author = {Nalunga, Jane and Lubega, Jonathan}, title = {{Les subventions agricoles : le cas de l’Ouganda}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2024}, month = dec, url = {https://www.iisd.org/fr/articles/policy-analysis/agricultural-subsidies-uganda}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }