In Uganda, agro-dealers are often the first source of technical advice for farmers purchasing pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, acaricides, and other agricultural inputs. Their knowledge and professionalism therefore directly influence how safely and effectively agricultural chemicals are used at farm level.
Under Uganda’s Agricultural Chemicals Control Act, agricultural chemicals sold in the country must be registered, properly packaged, and labelled. Dealers and the premises from which they operate must also meet the required registration and regulatory conditions. MAAIF maintains registers of approved agricultural chemicals, dealers, premises, and fumigators to support enforcement and compliance.
A recent assessment reported that approximately 46% of agro-input dealers were not registered with the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), while about 40% had never received training in the correct handling of agricultural chemicals. Other studies have similarly identified substantial gaps in certification and licensing among agro-input dealers (Tambo et al., 2024).
As a result, farmers may receive inaccurate guidance on pesticide selection, product authenticity, mixing, dosage, equipment calibration, application intervals, storage, and disposal. This can lead to ineffective pest control, crop damage, unnecessary production costs, excessive chemical residues, environmental contamination, and serious health risks to farmers, their families, and the wider Ugandan population that consumes the affected food products.
Additionally, untrained dealers may also unknowingly stock unregistered, expired, adulterated, or counterfeit products which places agro-dealer businesses at risk of closure, product confiscation, fines, or prosecution during regulatory inspections.
Government enforcement operations have previously resulted in the confiscation of unregistered and locally adulterated agricultural inputs. Such actions demonstrate the growing importance of formal training, business registration, traceability, and regulatory compliance within Uganda’s agro-input sector. Atuhaire, S. (2026, February 18).
To address these challenges, the WeWork-Green and Decent Jobs for Youth project supported agro-dealers and agricultural input agents to participate in a five-day training on the safe use and handling of agricultural chemicals.
The training for participants from the Rwenzori and Albertine regions was conducted from 29 June to 3 July 2026, while the training for participants from Busoga and the Kampala Metropolitan Area took place from 6 to 10 July 2026. Both sessions were conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries and Makerere University. The training had an overall participation of 98 youth, of whom 58 were supported by the WeWork Green and Decent Jobs for Youth Project.
The training brought together agents and agro-dealers linked to the project’s private-sector partners involved in agricultural input distribution. These agents serve farming communities at the last mile by improving farmers’ access to quality agricultural products and reliable technical information.
The training combined classroom sessions with practical demonstrations to strengthen participants’ ability to manage agricultural chemicals responsibly.
Participants received trainings in:
The training strengthened agro-dealers’ knowledge, professionalism, and safe handling of agricultural chemicals while promoting regulatory compliance and the formalisation of agro-input businesses. Certified dealers are now better equipped to advise farmers on product selection, label interpretation, and correct application, contributing to effective pest management, reduced production costs, and safer, more sustainable agricultural practices.
Uganda’s agricultural transformation depends not only on increasing access to inputs but also on ensuring that those inputs are genuine, appropriate, properly handled, and safely applied.
The WeWork - Green and Decent Jobs for Youth initiative aims to create sustainable and decent employment opportunities for 1,800 young women and men by unlocking both on-farm and off-farm opportunities within Uganda’s horticulture sector.
The WeWork – Green and Decent Jobs for Youth project is co-funded by the European Union and the Government of Belgium through Enabel.
References
Atuhaire, S. (2026, February 18). MAAIF cracks down on fake agro-inputs in Rwenzori Sub-region. The Cooperator News. https://thecooperator.news/maaif-cracks-down-on-fake-agro-inputs-in-rwenzori-sub-region/
Agricultural Chemicals (Control) Act, 2006, Act 1 of 2007 (Uganda). https://agriculture.go.ug/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Agricultural-Chemicals-Control-Act-2007.pdf
Tambo, J. A., Holmes, K. A., Aliamo, C., Mbugua, F., Alokit, C., Muzira, F., Byamugisha, A., & Mwambu, P. (2024). The role of agro-input dealer certification in promoting sustainable pest control: Insights from Uganda. International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability, 22(1), Article 2299181. https://doi.org/10.1080/14735903.2023.2299181