Uganda Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (UFAAS) is an umbrella organization of Agricultural providers, actors and stakeholders in the country. UFAAS is the Uganda Chapter of the African Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (AFAAS). AFAAS has the mandate to implement the Agricultural Advisory Services aspects of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP). CAADP is the Africa owned and Africa led initiative working to boost agricultural productivity in Africa and is the Programme of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD).UFAAS Vision is’ “Quality Agricultural Extension and Advisory Services (AEAS), effectively contributing to agricultural development in Uganda”. The Mission is ‘to promote an effective, efficient and innovative AEAS system through advocacy, capacity building, and information sharing and increased professional development among AEAS actors in Uganda”.

UFAAS is an umbrella organization consisting of diverse actors including the public sector, private sector, academia, NGOs, farmers’ organizations and the media. The mandate of UFAAS is to advance overall provision of Agricultural Extension and Advisory Services (AEAS) in Uganda by improving coordination and harmonization amongst the actors. On the other hand, NAADS is a semi-autonomous agency of the Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries with a mandate to finance and deliver AEAS in Uganda. NAADS is a public actor in AEAS and therefore a member of UFAAS.

The two institutions have differing mandates. UFAAS does NOT exist to provide AEAS to sector actors like NAADS does. The two institutions rather complement than compete with each other. Whereas UFAAS is a forum that brings together actors in AEAS, NAADS is a Government of Uganda agency acting on behalf of the government through provision of AEAS to value chain actors.

Uganda has a pluralistic extension system with diverse actors from public sector, private sector and civil society. UFAAS is the only platform that is designed to bring all these together. It provides a sustainable forum for all these AEAS providers to: establish and strengthen partnerships; build capacity; share lessons and experiences among stakeholders; lobby and advocate for ethics and professional practices and promote a conducive environment for AEAS in Uganda.

MAAIF is the line ministry under which UFAAS operates in the country. Although, UFAAS is a non-state actor, independent of MAAIF, it links with the ministry through a representative on the executive committee.

UFAAS is not an agent of the government nor does it act on behalf of the government. It is a non-state actor that complements government efforts to achieve the goal of effective and efficient AEAS system in Uganda.

Being a civil society organization, UFAAS gets its funds from membership fees, in-kind member contributions, donations and grants. How does one become a member of UFAAS? Membership to UFAAS is voluntary and categorized under:

• Ordinary membership fee: UGX 100,000, annual subscription: UGX 20,000. This is open to all professionals involved in AEAS
• Institutional membership fee: UGX 200,000, annual subscription: UGX 100,000. This is for institutions that are involved in AEAS.
• Associate membership fee: UGX 300,000. This is (open to institutions and persons not directly involved in AAS but who subscribe to the objectives of UFAAS and are seeking to benefit from its activities.
• Honorary membership (to persons who have offered special contribution to UFAAS): No fee.