Innovators in ICT for Agriculture Awarded at DAT Challenge Finale in Kampala

Kampala, 19th November 2019. Winners of the 2019 Disruptive Agricultural Technology and Innovations Challenge organised by the Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries through the Agriculture Cluster Development Project (ACDP) have been officially awarded by Mr. Pius Wakabi Kasajja the Permanent Secretary.

MAAIF Permanent Secretary Mr. Pius Wakabi Kasajja (4th from left) speaking as a panelist at the finale that was held in Munyonyo.

The finale was officially opened by Hon. Joy Kabatsi the State Minister for Animal Industry who represented Hon. Vincent Bamulangaki Ssempijja the Cabinet Minister for Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries.

Hon. Joy Kabatsi the State Minister for Animal Industry represented Hon. Vincent Bamulangaki Ssempijja the Cabinet Minister for Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries in officially opening the Challenge Finale that was organised in collaboration with the World Bank through the Agriculture Cluster Development Project.

The four Challenge Categiories were won by the following innovators:

Challenge 1 (Agricultural Productivity)

M-Omulimisa

Challenge 2 (Market Linkages)

Akellobanker-Quest Digital

Challenge 3 (Farmer Financial Inclusion)

M-Cash Uganda Limited

Challenge 4 (Data Analytics)

Data Care

Notes for editors

About the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF)

The Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries is a Ministry in the Government of Uganda charged with creating an enabling environment in the Agricultural Sector.

The Ministry formulates, reviews and implement national policies, plans, strategies, regulations and standards and enforce laws, regulations and standards along the value chain of crops, livestock and fisheries.

Vision: A competitive, profitable and sustainable agricultural sector.

Mission: To transform subsistence farming to commercial agriculture.

Strategic Objectives

  • To initiate the formulation and review of the policy and legal framework for the sector
  • To establish and implement systems for service provision in the sector
  • To strengthen and implement strategies, regulatory framework, standards, institutional structures and infrastructure for quality assurance and increased quantities of agricultural products to access and sustain local, regional and export markets
  • To design and implement sustainable capacity building programmes for stakeholders in the agricultural sector through training, re-tooling, infrastructure, provision of logistics and ICT
  • To develop strategies for sustainable food security
  • To develop appropriate agricultural technologies for improved agricultural production, productivity and value addition through research
  • To develop effective collaborative mechanisms with affiliated institutions and
  • To take lead and establish a system and institutional framework for agricultural data collection, analyses, storage and dissemination to stakeholders including Uganda Bureau of Statistics.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) is made up of four Directorates including the Directorate of Crop Resources, Directorate of Animal Resources, Directorate of Agricultural Extension Services and the Directorate of Fisheries Resources each with Departments, Divisions and Partnership Projects.

The Departments of the Ministry which do not fall directly in the above include the Department of Agricultural Planning and Development, the Human Resource Department, the Department of Finance and Administration and the Department of Agricultural Infrastructure, Mechanisation and Water for Agricultural Production.

The Ministry is also made up of seven Agencies including the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO), the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS), Cotton Development Organisation (CDO), Dairy Development Authority (DDA), Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) and Coordinating Office for the Control of Trypanosomiasis in Uganda (COCTU) and the National Animal Genetic Resources Centre and Databank (NAGRC&DB).

For media-related inquiries and accreditation contact Solomon Kalema Musisi, Senior Communications Officer-Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries using the email below:

solomon.kalema@agriculture.go.ug