Uganda Hands Over 150 Single-Axle Tractors to Farmer Groups

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On September 19, Uganda's Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries handed over 150 single-axle tractors to farmer groups across the country for mechanized operations on small and fragmented farmland. This batch of equipment was allocated through the Uganda Climate-Smart Agriculture Transformation Project (UCSATP). Beneficiary groups will sign renewable 3-year agreements with the project, and each piece of equipment is eligible for up to 1,000 hours of maintenance support.

This batch of equipment consists of walk-behind single-axle tractors, accompanied by a variety of implements, and can be used for plowing, harrowing, mowing, water pumping, animal feed processing, and spraying operations. The Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries plans to train at least 2 operators for each beneficiary group, and equipment requiring repair after mechanical failure must be serviced through authorized suppliers.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries has designated farmer groups and relevant institutions as the recipients of the equipment, which will be managed and used collectively by the groups. The project also requires beneficiary organizations to establish equipment maintenance mechanisms, and the Ministry of Agriculture has proposed that repair funds can be generated through member usage fees. Following the completion of this equipment deployment, the Ministry of Agriculture also plans to continue procuring more agricultural machinery and to build agricultural mechanization service centers in sub-regions, equipped with small tractors, large tractors, earthmoving machinery, and other agricultural equipment.

The 150 single-axle tractors are provided by the UCSATP project. The project is implemented by the Ugandan government, with the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries responsible for project execution, jointly participating with the National Agricultural Research Organisation, the National Animal Genetic Resources Centre, and relevant meteorological agencies. The World Bank's latest procurement plan published on September 4 shows that the UCSATP project continues to carry out procurement of agricultural equipment and related items.

Uganda's agricultural sector also disclosed that the current coverage level of agricultural machinery and equipment accounts for approximately 4% of national demand. The government has previously deployed about 650 tractors, and this round of 150 single-axle tractors adopts a farmer group management model. The Ministry of Agriculture plans to continue expanding the scope of mechanized equipment deployment based on the operational performance of this batch of equipment.