The Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development (MGLSD) has urged stakeholders in the agriculture sector to create more placement opportunities for apprentices and unemployed graduates under the National Apprenticeship Programme (NAP).
Mr. Alex Asiimwe, the Commissioner Labour, Industrial Relations and Productivity at the MGLSD, emphasized that the programme plays a critical role in facilitating a quicker transition from training to employment, aligning skills supply with the rapidly evolving needs of the labour market, and boosting productivity and sustainability of Agricultural enterprises.
The remarks were delivered on Wednesday this week during a strategic engagement with agriculture sector players at the Ministry of Gender, Labour & Social Development headquarters. Mr. Asiimwe was represented by Mr. Zachary Kansiime, the Senior Skills Development, Technology Uptake and Innovation Officer at the Ministry.
He told the members that the Agriculture sector is pivotal because it employs the majority of Uganda’s youth. He, therefore, called upon sector players to actively provide training and placement opportunities for unemployed young people. This was the first inaugural meeting of the Agriculture Sector Apprenticeship Committee meeting that brought on board active participation of key Agriculture Associations in the country.
The National Apprenticeship Programme forms part of the government’s commitment to strengthening structured and high-quality apprenticeships in the country. It follows the Cabinet’s approval of the Uganda National Apprenticeship Framework (UNAF) in 2018 under Minute No. 358 (CT 2018).
Apprenticeship in Agriculture sector combines on-the-job training happening at Farms, Agriculture business enterprises and off-the-job training happening at specialized Skills Training & TVET centres, culminating in formal assessment and certification.
In January 2026, the MGLSD published an advertisement inviting unemployed Apprentices to apply for opportunities under the programme. Approximately more than 6,000 candidates responded, seeking placements in various careers.
Mr. Asiimwe encouraged sector players to visit the National Apprenticeship and Graduate Volunteerism Management Information System (NAGV-MIS) and create placement offers for these applicants.
“When employers provide work and training opportunities for the young people, the government pays them a monthly stipend for up to a maximum of one year,” he explained. “We also encourage potential employers to consider retaining and formally employing the trainees upon successful completion of their training.”
Presenting at the same meeting, Mr. Ibrahim Wako Kisu, the Work-Based Learning Officer at the MGLSD, highlighted worrying statistics about Uganda’s youth. He noted that nearly half (48%) of the youth population aged 18–30 are underutilized, 37.8% are outside the labour force, and a staggering 50.9% are neither in employment, education, nor training (NEET).
“That is why we are reaching out to these young people, to equip them with hands-on skills and help them enter the labour market,” Mr. Kisu said.
He added that Apprentices and Graduate Volunteers receive practical, workplace-based training, which helps solve the common challenge of “no experience, no job” by providing both relevant skills and real work experience.
“The National Apprenticeship Programme, therefore, facilitates a smooth transition into the labour market,” he concluded.
The meeting brought together representatives from several key organisations, including The Uganda National Apiculture Development Organisation, Makerere University, Uganda Fish Processors and Exporters Association, Uganda National Farmers Federation, Fisheries Training Institute, National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO), the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries and the Veterinary Association.
Participants elected Mr. William Tibyasa Mwesigye as chairperson of the Agriculture Sector Apprenticeship committee. He has been tasked with mobilising the sector to actively provide training and placement opportunities for apprentices and graduate volunteers.
In his remarks, Mr. Tibyasa called upon all the key Agriculture sector Players present in the room to encourage their members to open up spaces and support the National Apprenticeship Programme. He further called upon active participation of the members to address the existing skills gaps in the sector.
