Cabinet Approves Food and Agriculture Regulatory Authority Bill to Unify Food Safety Oversight

Cabinet has approved the Food and Agriculture Regulatory Authority Bill, 2026, paving the way for the establishment of a single regulator to oversee food safety, agricultural inputs and veterinary products.

The decision was made during the Cabinet meeting held at State House Entebbe on Monday, July 6, and was announced at the weekly Cabinet briefing held at the Uganda Media Centre on Tuesday. Cabinet also approved the appointment of a new Governing Board for the National Building Review Board.

Speaking at the briefing, the Minister for ICT and National Guidance, Justine Kasule Lumumba, said the proposed legislation seeks to harmonise the regulation of food and agricultural products by creating a single regulatory framework.

The new law will replace the current fragmented system, where regulatory responsibilities are shared between the National Drug Authority (NDA) and the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS). Once established, the Food and Agriculture Regulatory Authority will regulate veterinary medicines, veterinary devices, vaccines, veterinary cosmetics, laboratory supplies and reagents, agricultural chemicals, food, and animal feeds under one institution.

According to the government, the existing regulatory framework has resulted in overlapping mandates, duplication of roles and gaps in the oversight of agricultural and veterinary products. The new authority is expected to improve coordination among regulators, strengthen enforcement and enhance the efficiency of protecting public health and agricultural production.

Lumumba said the proposed law is designed to strengthen food safety and agricultural standards by ensuring that food, animal feeds, plants and the environment are adequately protected. It will also ensure that agricultural and veterinary inputs placed on the market are safe, effective and meet the required quality standards.

Cabinet projects that, once enacted, the law will improve human, animal and plant health, boost consumer confidence in agricultural products and enhance Uganda’s competitiveness in regional and international markets.

The government further expects the new regulatory framework to increase farmers’ incomes through improved product quality, curb the circulation of counterfeit agricultural inputs and veterinary medicines, and strengthen Uganda’s contribution to global food and health security.

Agriculture remains one of Uganda’s most important economic sectors, employing more than 70 per cent of the country’s population and contributing significantly to export earnings. In recent years, the government has intensified efforts to improve agricultural productivity, food safety and value addition as part of its agro-industrialisation agenda under the Fourth National Development Plan.

In a separate decision, Cabinet approved the appointment of the Governing Board of the National Building Review Board, an institution established under the Building Control Act to oversee and coordinate building control activities across the country.

The Board is mandated to promote compliance with national building standards, review building regulations and strengthen enforcement of construction safety requirements amid rapid urbanisation and growing concerns over structural failures.

Engineer Andrew Kitaka has been appointed Chairperson of the Board. Other members include RSU Irene Kitara, Architect Henry Kigundu, PP Irene Achola, Benon Yiga, Engineer Chris Opuch, Richard Adrole and Engineer Betty Nabbosa.

The appointments form part of the government’s ongoing efforts to strengthen institutional oversight in the construction sector following a series of building collapses that have underscored the need for stricter enforcement of building standards, improved compliance and enhanced professional supervision

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