Kampala, Uganda: Cabinet has approved the Food and Agriculture Regulatory Authority Bill, 2026, a landmark legislative proposal aimed at establishing a single regulator for food, veterinary medicines, agricultural chemicals, and animal feeds, a major step towards strengthening food safety, consumer protection, and Uganda’s agricultural competitiveness.
The approval was made during the Second Cabinet Meeting of 2026 held at State House, Entebbe, with the proposed law expected to streamline regulatory functions currently shared between the National Drug Authority (NDA) and the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS).
Once enacted by Parliament, the new law will establish the Food and Agriculture Regulatory Authority (FARA), bringing together fragmented regulatory responsibilities under one institution to improve coordination, efficiency and accountability across Uganda’s food and agricultural value chains.
According to ICT Minister Rt Hon Justine Kasule Lumumba, the Bill seeks to address long-standing overlaps in regulation between existing government agencies.
The proposed Authority will regulate, among others, veterinary medicines, veterinary vaccines, veterinary medical devices, veterinary cosmetics, laboratory supplies and reagents, agricultural chemicals, food products and animal feeds.
Government says consolidating these functions under one regulator will eliminate duplication, improve compliance, and strengthen enforcement throughout the agricultural sector.
The move also aligns with Uganda’s broader strategy of modernising agriculture and improving the quality of locally produced food and agricultural products.
Improving food safety and public health
Food safety has increasingly become a national and international concern as Uganda expands commercial agriculture and food exports.
Government believes the proposed Authority will play a central role in ensuring that food produced locally or imported into Uganda meets acceptable safety standards while protecting consumers from unsafe products.
The Bill also seeks to strengthen oversight of veterinary medicines and agricultural chemicals, sectors that have witnessed growing concerns over counterfeit products, improper handling and misuse.
Officials say the legislation will improve regulation throughout the production chain, from farm inputs to processed food products reaching consumers.
If implemented effectively, the Authority is expected to enhance confidence in Uganda’s food systems while reducing public health risks associated with substandard agricultural products.
Boosting Uganda’s export competitiveness
Agriculture remains Uganda’s largest employer and one of the country’s leading foreign exchange earners, contributing significantly through exports of coffee, tea, fish, dairy products, fruits, grains and horticultural produce.
However, exporters have occasionally faced challenges arising from changing international sanitary and phytosanitary standards, as well as quality certification requirements.
Cabinet says the new Authority will strengthen Uganda’s ability to meet local, regional and international market standards.
Government expects this to improve market access for Ugandan agricultural exports while enhancing the country’s competitiveness within the East African Community, COMESA, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and global markets.
Tackling counterfeit agricultural products
Counterfeit veterinary medicines, fake pesticides and substandard agricultural inputs have remained a persistent challenge affecting farmers across Uganda.
Poor-quality products often reduce agricultural productivity, increase production costs and expose consumers to health risks.
Cabinet believes the proposed Authority will strengthen consumer protection by improving inspection, licensing, quality assurance and market surveillance.
The Bill is also expected to support government efforts to combat illegal trade in counterfeit agricultural products while ensuring farmers access genuine inputs that improve productivity.
According to Hon Kasule Lumumba, the Food and Agriculture Regulatory Authority Bill is expected to deliver several key outcomes once enacted into law.
These include improved human, animal and plant health, enhanced food safety and consumer confidence.
Greater competitiveness of Uganda’s agricultural exports, increased incomes for farmers and other actors across food value chains, stronger protection against counterfeit agricultural products, and more resilient national food systems that contribute to global health.
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