Government is moving to regulate the manufacture, distribution, importation and supply of veterinary medicine, veterinary devices, agricultural chemicals and agricultural chemical application equipment.

The move is embedded in a Bill titled, ‘The Food and Agriculture Regulatory Authority Bill, 2026’ that was tabled by the Minister for Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, Hon. Frank Tumwebaze on Tuesday, 25 August 2026.

The proposed law that is will be processed by the Committee on Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries seeks to superintend over the surge in counterfeit and substandard veterinary medicines and agricultural chemicals.

Among key provisions in the Bill is the establishment of the Food and Agriculture Regulatory Authority to ensure standard veterinary and agricultural inputs on the market as well as licensing manufacturers and distributors of agricultural chemicals.
“There are high levels of medicines, chemical residues and contaminants such as aflatoxins and heavy metals in our food. The existence of such substances compromises our health and safety, and greatly affects the integrity of our food exports,” reads the Bill in part.

The Bill also states that the continued presence of substandard and counterfeit veterinary and agricultural inputs has resulted into increased pest and disease incidences in the country.

The Bill also seeks to address fragmented regulation for food, feeds, veterinary medicine, veterinary devices, equipment and agricultural chemicals which has resulted in weak and uncoordinated regulation by multiple agencies leading to duplication of efforts, oversight and inefficiencies in enforcement.
“The implementation of the Food and Agriculture Regulatory Authority Act is expected to spur clean agricultural productivity and trade, improve human, plant and animal health leading to consumer safety and confidence, increase market access of Uganda's agricultural exports to regional and global markets, increase the incomes and profit of food value chain actors and enhance consumer protection against counterfeits,” the Bill is further justified.

The Speaker, Jacob Marksons Oboth referred the Bill to the Committee on Agriculture for processing. 
Rule 135 of the Rules of Procedure prescribes that the committee should process a Bill and report to the House within 45 working days. 
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