CIVIL SOCIETY BUDGET ADVOCACY GROUP (CSBAG)
 

TERMS OF REFERENCE

ASSESSMENT OF UGANDA’S CAADP COMMITMENT TO FINANCING AGRICULTURE (2020-2024)

1. BACKGROUND

The agriculture sector remains the backbone of Uganda’s economy, employing over 70% of the population, the majority of whom are women and small-scale producers in rural areas[1]. Beyond its social and economic importance, agriculture contributes approximately 26.2% of GDP in 2024 (UBOS, 2025) and remains central to the country’s food security, export earnings, and rural livelihoods. To Uganda’s Ten-fold Growth Strategy, the Agro-Industrialization programme is one of the 5 anchor priority areas known as the ATMS (Agro-industry Development, Tourism Development, Mineral-based Industrial Development, Sustainable development of petroleum resources and Oil and Gas as well as Science and Technology) envisioned to drive the economy tenfold by growing Uganda’s GDP from the current USD 53 billion to USD 500 billion by 2040 thereby boosting employment, wealth creation, and higher household incomes.

Recognizing this strategic role, the Government of Uganda has repeatedly reaffirmed its commitment to continental agricultural transformation frameworks and thus is a signatory to the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) under the Maputo (2003), Malabo (2014), and Kampala (2025) Declarations. These commit all African Union Member States to allocate at least 10% of national public expenditure to agriculture to achieve 6% annual agricultural growth.

However, Uganda’s direct budgetary allocation to the agriculture sector has consistently fallen short of this target, reaching an all-time high of 3.4% over the past five years. The government has argued that investing in other areas, such as security, contributes directly to the agriculture sector. This raises critical questions about how agricultural expenditure is classified, reported, and measured against the CAADP target.

Understanding how these indirect expenditures indeed contribute to agricultural productivity and development outcomes is key to assessing Uganda’s genuine commitment to CAADP and to informing evidence-based advocacy for more efficient and transparent agricultural financing. This study, therefore, seeks to generate evidence on the extent to which the Government of Uganda’s expenditure complies with the 10% financing target of the CAADP Framework.

• ABOUT THE STUDY

This Public Finance Tracking Study seeks to undertake an assessment of Uganda’s adherence to the CAADP 10% public expenditure commitment by analyzing both direct and indirect investments that contribute to agricultural development. It will explore the extent to which cross-sectoral allocations (such as infrastructure, security, water, and environment, etc) support agricultural growth, productivity, and resilience.

The findings will strengthen evidence-based policy advocacy for CSBAG and guide equitable and efficient public spending in agriculture, inform citizen engagement, and strengthen partnerships with sector stakeholders, including MAAIF, MoFPED, NAADS, and local governments, while potentially informing Uganda’s reporting under the Biennial Review Mechanism of the African Union.

• OVERALL OBJECTIVE

To assess Uganda’s level of compliance with the CAADP 10% public expenditure commitment.

Specific Objectives

• To track public expenditures to the agriculture sector and related spending across various government votes for the last 5 years.

• To identify and quantify cross-sectoral expenditures (e.g., infrastructure, energy, water, security, etc) that directly or indirectly support agricultural development.
• To assess the degree to which such cross-sectoral investments align with CAADP principles and contribute to agricultural productivity and transformation.
• To identify financing bottlenecks, policy gaps, and opportunities for improving equitable and efficient resource allocation.

• SCOPE OF WORK
• Review key policy and planning documents, including the National Development Plan (NDP IV), MAAIF Strategic Plan, Agriculture Sector Strategic Plan, Programme-Based Budgeting exports, and Public Expenditure Reviews.
• Analyze the Biennial Review and CAADP performance reports to establish Uganda’s previous commitments and progress.
• Extract and analyze budget and expenditure data from MoFPED, MAAIF, and selected MDAs (Infrastructure, Water, Energy, Defense, and Environment).
• Categorize spending into direct agricultural allocations and indirect sectoral allocations that support agriculture.
• Conduct key informant interviews (KIIs) with officials from MAAIF, MoFPED, NPA, OPM, and development partners.
• Draft, validate, and finalize a comprehensive analytical report with policy recommendations.
• Propose reforms and advocacy strategies to improve financing for agriculture.

• DELIVERABLES

The consultant will provide the following outputs:

• Inception Report: Detailed methodology, work plan, data collection tools, and list of target institutions (within 10 days of contract signing).
• Draft Report: Preliminary findings shared with CSBAG for input and feedback.
• Final Report: Incorporating all feedback and providing a comprehensive analysis, policy recommendations, and stakeholder action plan.
• Policy Brief: A 3–5-page summary of findings and key advocacy messages.
• PowerPoint Presentation: For dissemination to stakeholders.

• DURATION

The assignment will be undertaken over 30 working days, with final outputs delivered not later than 15th December 2025.

• REQUIRED COMPETENCIES

The lead consultant or team should have:

• Advanced degree in Economics, Public Finance, and Agricultural Economics, or related field.
• At least 7 years of experience in public expenditure analysis, budget tracking, or agricultural policy research.
• Demonstrated experience in gender-responsive budgeting or inclusion-focused agricultural finance analysis.
• Strong analytical, quantitative, and writing skills, with proficiency in Excel or statistical analysis tools.
• Familiarity with Uganda’s budget process, PFM reforms, and CAADP framework.
• Experience working with CSOs, government ministries, and development partners
• Strong qualitative and quantitative research skills.
• Excellent report writing and stakeholder engagement experience.

• APPLICATION PROCESS

Interested consultants or firms should submit a technical and financial proposal comprising:

• A brief understanding of the ToRs and critique.
• Proposed methodology and tools.
• Work plan and timelines.
• Team composition and CVs.
• Evidence of similar work done.
• Budget breakdown in UGX.

Submit applications to:

The Executive Director
Civil Society Budget Advocacy Group (CSBAG)
P.O. Box 660, Ntinda, Kampala, Uganda
Plot 11 Vubyabirengye Close, Ntinda-Stretcher Road
Email: hr@csbag.org
Deadline: 5:00 PM, 10th November 2025

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