KAMPALA, Uganda — The government of Uganda signed a host country agreement Thursday with the Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences International, granting the scientific organization a permanent institutional presence in the country.
Foreign Affairs Minister Jeje Odongo signed the agreement on behalf of the government, while Morris Akiri, executive director for Africa, represented CABI. The move follows Uganda’s ratification of the CABI instrument in 2025 and will allow the organization to establish a country office within the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area.
Odongo said the partnership is a strategic step toward addressing agricultural constraints and restoring access to international markets, including the European Union. He emphasized the need to improve standards and strengthen farmer guidance systems to meet global sanitary and phytosanitary requirements.
Uganda has been a member of CABI since 1995, previously collaborating through the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries and the National Agricultural Research Organisation. The transition from a project-based presence to a permanent office is expected to enhance Uganda’s export competitiveness and food security.
Akiri reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to deepening collaboration, citing an ongoing 8 million euro program funded by the EU. The initiative focuses on strengthening regulatory systems, building plant health capacity and establishing a center of excellence at Entebbe International Airport.
CABI is a science-based, intergovernmental organization established in 1928. Its mandate focuses on poverty alleviation through increased agricultural productivity, environmental protection and knowledge transfer to farmers.
Both parties said the agreement will unlock new opportunities for research, investment and technical cooperation to support sustainable agricultural growth in Uganda.
