Stakeholders push for overhaul of extension services as agro-processing stalls in Acholi

Despite the promise of agriculture as the backbone of Acholi’s economic recovery, stakeholders now say weak extension services, underutilised agro-processing facilities and poor coordination among key actors are holding the region back from fully commercialising its potential.

Meeting in Gulu City for a two-day stakeholders’ workshop at Bomah Hotel, representatives from 10 local governments in Acholi joined central government officials, development partners, financial institutions and private sector players in a candid assessment of the gaps undermining agricultural transformation in northern Uganda.

At the heart of the discussions was a growing concern that agro-processing facilities (APFs), once hailed as game-changers for value addition and rural industrialisation, remain largely idle or poorly functional due to staffing shortages, weak management systems and infrastructure bottlenecks.

Participants warned that without urgent reforms in extension service delivery, particularly through Production and Commercial Officers, the region risks missing out on opportunities to shift farmers from subsistence production to market-oriented agriculture.

Opening the workshop, a representative of the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Local Government called for stronger collaboration between production and commercial departments, saying fragmented service delivery continues to undermine government programmes at the grassroots.

He stressed that professionalism and accountability among extension workers remain critical, especially under national initiatives such as the Parish Development Model (PDM), which relies heavily on effective local implementation to deliver results.

Gulu City authorities, represented by Christine Olok on behalf of the mayor, said the workshop comes at a crucial time when the region is seeking to strengthen institutional capacity and improve service delivery systems across sectors.

Meanwhile, the Resident City Commissioner urged stakeholders to embrace mindset change, warning that persistent financial indiscipline among households continues to limit the impact of agricultural and enterprise support programmes.

He noted that despite the availability of opportunities in agriculture, fisheries, livestock and trade, many communities remain trapped in low productivity due to poor planning and misuse of resources.

During technical sessions, district production officers, veterinary experts, fisheries officers and extension workers painted a sobering picture of the challenges on the ground.

They cited inadequate staffing levels, delays in completing agro-processing facilities, unreliable electricity supply, weak market linkages and poor recovery of PDM funds as major constraints affecting service delivery.

Non-functional agro-processing facilities also came under scrutiny, with participants pointing to lack of equipment, limited technical skills among beneficiaries and weak governance structures at parish level as key reasons for their underperformance.

Financial institutions and cooperative organisations, including Uganda Cooperative Alliance, Pride Microfinance and Northern Uganda Tractors Association SACCO, called for stronger public-private partnerships to unlock access to credit, mechanisation and value chain financing for farmers.

They argued that without affordable financing and structured markets, efforts to commercialise agriculture in Acholi will remain slow and uneven.

The workshop further recommended increased recruitment of extension workers, establishment of slaughter slabs and abattoirs in major trading centres, and expansion of government support beyond traditional crop and livestock enterprises.

Stakeholders also called for intensified climate change awareness campaigns at community level, alongside practical demonstration farms to improve adoption of modern agricultural practices under government programmes.

As the meeting drew to a close, participants committed to implementing the recommendations and strengthening coordination across sectors, in a bid to improve agricultural productivity and restore confidence in extension service delivery across the Acholi sub-region.

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