Uganda: UPDF Blames Agriculture Ministry for Fake Seeds

Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) has distanced itself from blame over the distribution of fake seeds to farmers - saying they only give out what has been supplied to them by the Ministry of Agriculture.

Brig Elly Kayanja, the deputy commandant of Operation Wealth Creation Programme in UPDF, says it is not the role of the army to regulate the seed sector and ensure that farmers have access to high quality seeds and other agricultural inputs.

While addressing the media at Parliament today, Kayanja stated that while the UPDF has been coordinating the programme, its role is to supervise delivery and lead in distribution of strategic interventions to beneficiary households.

"The reports that we supplied fake seeds is not correct. We are not technical people. [It is not that it] should be the role of UPDF to start testing, doing this and that. That is not our work. That is their [the ministry] work. Our role and the most important of all is to mobilise and make sure that the things supplied reach the farmers", Kayanja said.

Kayanja was responding to media reports that under the Operation Wealth Creation Programme, which was started in 2013 under the auspices of President Yoweri Museveni to create wealth in household has been giving farmers sub-standard seeds and other planting materials.

However, during the same media briefing, Dr Samuel Mugasa, Executive Director of NAADS (National Agricultural Advisory Services) instead blamed the fake seeds on farmers - stressing that three separate germination tests are carried out before distribution.

"We have inspectors from the district from the Ministry of agriculture who visit these stores where the seeds are kept. Samples are picked and germination tests are carried out. Any seed that is below the advised germination rate of 80-90% that seed is rejected outright. Because we are aware that along the way seed may change, we advise districts as well. They do their own germination tests. As we combat this problem of quality of seeds we have noted cases where farmers receive seeds and keep it for some reasons"

State Minister of Agriculture, Vincent Ssempijja acknowledged that fake seeds and implements are being sold on the local market. He has warned that seed companies found culpable of distributing sub-standard seeds will be de-registered and blacklisted.

According to Ssempijja, 107 million tea seedlings; 61 million coffee seedlings; 2.5 million citrus seedlings; 3.1 million cocoa seedlings; 1.5 million mango seedlings and 4.5 million kilos of maize seedlings have been distributed countrywide under the Wealth Creation programme in the past two years.