Historically, Ugandans have had a great regard for nature. Living in a symbiotic relationship with nature is stressed and cultural totems amongst the Ugandan peoples have meant that Ugandans grow up relating to their role within the natural order of things. This has contributed to their predisposition toward the practices of organic agriculture (OA).
A new government strategy is in the offing to promote agroecology and organic farming in the country, in a bid to protect smallholder farmers and the local and export markets for agricultural products.
This comes amidst increasing demand that the government step up the control of chemical use in agriculture, especially the substandard toxic substances.
Agroecology is an agriculture practice that promotes the collaboration between human, animal, and plant nature to preserve the soil and maintain production without artificial inputs.
Apart from producing safer food for human consumption, it also ensures a cheaper cost of production, manageable by smaller farmers, according to experts.
Sunday Bob George, a Senior Agricultural Officer at the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, says the strategy is currently under draft review, with different government agencies giving their views on it.
The draft was developed by Professor GS Tenywa of Makerere University in conjunction with experts from various NGOs and government departments.
Sunday says the strategy’s main aim is to spell out and enforce the roles of all players along the value chain, from the farmers to the suppliers of inputs, traders, and consumers.
He was speaking at the start of the Uganda Agroecology Week of Action 2023 organized by PELUM Uganda.
The strategy is expected to go a long way and support the fight against climate change effects, according to the PELUM (Participatory Ecological Land Use Management) Association, a regional network of 250 civil society organizations in 12 countries including Uganda.
Pelum Board Chairperson, Dr Christopher Kyeswa says increased government investment in agroecology and organic farming will also go a long way in the fight against climate change, because of the practices that are taught to their farmers.
Elizabeth Kabakoyo, an agroecological farmer called on the government to find ways of reducing the use of toxic chemicals by Ugandan farmers, saying they are affecting, not of the soils, but also the marketability of Ugandan products.
Kabakoyo also deals in the production of organic fertilizers under her company, GLOWISH Agro Solution, which also pushed for indigenous farming systems.
She said if the chemicals were regulated or reduced or replaced with organic inputs, it would also have an impact on the fight against climate change, adding that some species are disappearing because of these chemicals.
She also called for the establishment of organic food markets in the country to help those in need of their products know where to find them, as well as a special certification process at the Uganda National Bureau of Standards since currently, their products do not carry the UNBS stamp.
There are also efforts to ensure that the countries that produce agricultural inputs that are not allowed to be used in those countries are not exported to Africa.
HUMUNDI, Formely SOS Faim, is a Belgian development NGO, active in the fight against hunger and poverty in Africa and Latin America.
It is also leading the fight against production and exportation to low development countries, of hazardous agricultural inputs.
Ben Akure, HUMUNDI Uganda Program Coordinator, says the efforts launched last year are bearing fruit as Belgium and France have agreed to stop the exportation to the low-developed countries, of chemicals that were banned in the European Union.
The Week’s events due to take place at Hotel Africana starting Tuesday, will feature exhibitions of organic farming including organically grown crops, organic pesticides and fertilisers, as well as rare but indigenous food crops from different parts of the country.
There will also be interactions between experts, financiers, farmers, and input suppliers as well as government agency representatives.
the celebrations are in line with World Food Day which was marked on October 16 under the theme; ‘Water is Life, Water is Food. Leave No One Behind.
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