Parliament has passed a series of Bills that merge three agencies, the Cotton Development Organisation (CDO), Dairy Development Authority (DDA) and National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS)into the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF).

The move, part of the government's rationalisation agenda, is intended to streamline operations, improve efficiency, and reduce duplication of services within the agricultural sector.

The Cotton Development Organisation (Amendment) Bill, 2024, was among the key legislations passed during plenary on Tuesday, 22 October 2024.

Hon. Linda Auma, Chairperson of the Committee on Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, presented the majority report, strongly advocating for the merger.

She argued that integrating CDO’s functions into the ministry would improve coordination, reduce administrative costs and enhance service delivery to farmers. 

“This integration will ensure better use of public resources while enhancing service delivery to farmers," Auma said underscoring the benefits of centralising agricultural management under one ministry.

However, the Bill sparked debate. The minority report, presented by Hoima City Woman Representative,  Hon. Asinansi Nakato, expressed serious concerns about the potential consequences for the cotton industry. 

"Mainstreaming CDO into the ministry will compromise the very foundation that has kept our cotton industry afloat. The CDO has a specific mandate that has driven the revival of the cotton sector," Nakato argued.

She warned that Uganda's cotton, a critical export crop could lose focus if managed under the broader functions of MAAIF, thus threatening the progress made in recent years.

The Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry, and Fisheries, Hon. Frank Tumwebaze, defended the merger, stating that it would eliminate duplication and streamline agricultural efforts.

"The duplication will be removed and the country will benefit from a unified strategy. The merger will also ensure that all willing technical staff from CDO are absorbed into the ministry," Tumwebaze assured Parliament, emphasising the government's commitment to maintaining key personnel and expertise.

Similarly, the Dairy Industry (Amendment) Bill, 2024 mainstreamed the Dairy Development Authority (DDA) into MAAIF. While the DDA has contributed to increased dairy production and market access, legislators argued that merging its functions under MAAIF would enhance efficiency. 

Auma noted that while the DDA has supported the dairy industry’s international accreditation and quality assurance, merging it with the ministry would secure long-term sustainability. 

"We recommend that the gains made by DDA, particularly in quality assurance and international market access, be maintained under the ministry’s oversight," she said.

Some legislators voiced concerns over the potential loss of regulatory gains in the dairy sector.

The committee’s report stressed the need for the ministry to ensure that the ongoing processes of accreditation, particularly for Uganda's National Dairy Analytical Laboratory, are not compromised by the merger.

Despite these concerns, the majority supported the bill, with Hon. Wilson Kajwengye (NRM, Nyabushozi County) stating that dairy farmers were struggling with low prices despite DDA’s efforts. 

"We produce millions of litres of milk daily but farmers are earning little. Let us consolidate our resources under the Ministry of Agriculture to address these issues,” Kajwengye argued.

The final merger, enacted through the National Agricultural Advisory Services (Amendment) Bill, 2024, dissolves NAADS and transfers its functions to the Directorate of Extension in MAAIF. 

Minister Tumwebaze explained that the NAADS dissolution is aimed at eliminating the overlapping roles between NAADS coordinators and traditional agricultural extension officers.

"This will give us a single-spine extension policy, ensuring better service delivery at the grassroots," Tumwebaze explained.

Hon. Bright Rwamirama, State Minister for Animal Industry added that the ministry's extension system would still deliver NAADS’ key services, with specialised officers deployed based on the community's needs.

"We have agricultural officers, livestock officers, and fisheries officers, depending on the community’s primary activity. The services will continue at the sub-county level without duplication," Rwamirama said.

The mergers are part of the government's broader strategy to rationalise public agencies, improve agricultural service delivery and reduce operational costs. 

Despite concerns from some quarters about the potential risks, the absorption of CDO, DDA, and NAADS into MAAIF is seen as a vital step toward creating a more cohesive and efficient agricultural framework.