Dr. Marios Obwona, an Advisor, at the National Planning Authority says a country’s ability to improve its standards of living over time depends almost entirely on its ability to raise its productivity. He also said agriculture is the backbone of Uganda’s economy, employing 70% of the population, and contributing half of Uganda’s export earnings and a quarter of the GDP. However, Food access remains a major challenge to achieving food and nutrition security in the country. Since most Ugandans live in rural areas and practice farming, raising agriculture productivity is critical. Dr. Obwona therefore called upon the government to improve credit and market access, regulations, and governance, Improve rural infrastructure such as feeder roads to reduce transport costs. Adopt digital automation technologies in different agricultural production systems, Demonstration plots by lead farmers to help to convince networked farmers that improved input use is worth the price. He was addressing Staff, Students and the Public at the Economic Forum Productivity Dialogue organised by the MUBS Economic Forum at MUBS Main Campus Nakawa, on February 15, 2024, where he was the guest speaker. He explained that at Macro-level, a friendly environment with Supportive functional institutions, Fiscal and structural policies to strengthen productivity growth, High quality education and public administration and the rule of law, an accommodative monetary policy stance, will drive productivity growth.
The country cannot survive without markets and the local markets in Uganda are right for agricultural income. This dialogue is quite fundamental towards social economic transformation.
While at Firm level the quality of production inputs and investment in productivity, training worker and good management can improve the efficiency of production, hence productivity growth. Dr. Obwona said the best managerial practices include setting clear targets, monitoring progress, and rewarding performance Incentives for team production, cross-training, work experience, and frequent employee manage investment and innovations. He pointed out factors that drive productivity growth at an employee level and these are health, education, training, core skills and experience, photos of family, friends Providing health breaks, Physical fitness sessions, encouraging and rewarding employees and speaking positively of employees makes them feel motivated, improving the work environment in the office will improve productivity. The Director MUBS Economics Forum, Dr. Fred Muhumuza said such dialogues link the academia with practitioners and policy makers. He says the country cannot survive without markets and the local markets in Uganda are right for agricultural income. This dialogue is quite fundamental towards social economic transformation.