5th Uganda National Agricultural Education Show 2026 officially opens in Jinja City
Dr. Muyingo noted that the Agricultural Education Show directly supports Uganda Vision 2040 and the Education Sector Development Plan by nurturing innovation, entrepreneurship and practical learning.
The 5th Uganda National Agricultural Education Show 2026 was officially opened today at the Jinja Show Grounds, with government officials calling on schools to embrace innovation, practical skills and agribusiness to prepare learners for Uganda’s economic transformation.
Officiating at the opening ceremony, the Acting Minister of Education and Sports, Dr. John Chrysostom Muyingo, said the Agricultural Education Show is a practical demonstration of the implementation of Uganda’s competency-based curriculum across primary, secondary and tertiary institutions.
He said the exhibition provides learners with an opportunity to demonstrate practical skills, solve challenges affecting their communities and develop innovations that respond to the country’s social and economic needs.
Dr. Muyingo noted that the Agricultural Education Show directly supports Uganda Vision 2040 and the Education Sector Development Plan by nurturing innovation, entrepreneurship and practical learning.
He urged schools across the country to continue integrating innovation, digital technology and agribusiness management into their teaching and learning programmes.
“These students are the future drivers of Uganda’s economic transformation,” he said.
After touring the exhibition stalls, Dr. Muyingo praised the creativity and ingenuity displayed by the learners.
“I have seen young people with brilliant ideas and innovations that have the potential to create millions of jobs. Government will continue to support them,” he said.
The minister also challenged the students to extend their innovations beyond the exhibition grounds by applying them to address real-life challenges within their communities.
This year’s show is being held under the theme: “Youth-Driven Innovation: Shaping the Future of the Agricultural Industry.”
The exhibition began on July 6 and will run until July 11, 2026. Entrance to the show is UGX 5,000 per child.
Meanwhile, Jinja City Mayor Alhajji Nagaya Alfiz expressed concern over the continued encroachment on land belonging to the Jinja Show Grounds and called upon relevant authorities to work together to protect the facility.
He also appealed to the Ministry of Education and Sports to strengthen practical learning within Uganda’s education system.
“The Ministry should ensure that the curriculum places greater emphasis on practical skills than theory so that learners graduate with competencies that can enable them to compete globally,” Nagaya said.
Reflecting on his own education, the mayor questioned the relevance of some theoretical subjects in today’s job market.
“I studied African Nationalism, but where am I applying African Nationalism today? I have travelled across the Arab world, Europe and Asia. In many of those countries, education focuses more on practical skills alongside theory,” he said.
The National Agricultural Education Show has become one of Uganda’s flagship education events, bringing together learners, teachers, innovators, researchers and stakeholders in the agricultural sector to showcase technologies and innovations aimed at transforming agriculture and promoting youth participation in agribusiness.
