Uganda, a landlocked country on the eastern part of the African continent is a beauty to behold. Retaining a good percentage of its land to wildlife reserve, adorned with lushly vegetation, an array of natural wildlife, rare birds and breathtaking landscapes, the country can be described as a land flowing with the proverbial milk and honey. It also boasts of the largest freshwater lake on the continent, very strong waterfalls, the source of the longest river in the world, an enormous amount of primates and arguably the highest number of mountain gorillas on the planet. The pearl of Africa as it is nicknamed also have lions that climb trees— now you’ve seen Eden!
Current State of Agriculture in Uganda
Agriculture is a very important sector to Uganda’s economy. It serves as the most prominent means of livelihood for many Ugandans. The main crops being produced are coffee, sugarcane, cotton, cassava, maize, groundnuts, beans and soybeans. These are mostly exported as cash crops, bringing in foreign returns. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (2017), a larger percentage of the working population is engaged in agriculture, forestry and fishing. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2023), Uganda’s agricultural sector employs over 70% of the country’s population. In the fiscal year of 2022/2023, agriculture accounts for over 24% of Uganda’s Gross Domestic Product.
Though 80% of Uganda’s land is arable, only 35% is being cultivated for agricultural use. This implies that there is so much potential in the agricultural sector and so much can still be done with the available resources. In the fiscal year of 2022/2023, agriculture accounted for about 35% of export earnings.
The agricultural sector has also been faced with a lot of challenges. Topping the chart is climate change. Temperature fluctuations, too much or very little rainfalls, unusual or extreme weather events, droughts and floods pose a serious threat to agriculture in Uganda. Crop yields are affected badly and livestock are lost. In some cases, whole farmlands are lost to flooding and droughts; making the soil too hard to cultivate. Soil degradation brought about by erosion, nutrient depletion and soil acidity also negatively impacts crop production. The unavailability or limited access to clean, fresh water for farmland irrigation also hinders the progress in the farms. The prevalence of pest and diseases exacerbated by climate change, negatively affects crops and livestock. Farmers also face limited access to funds to finance their farming business, access to markets also poses a serious challenge as farmers always incur losses on their produce. Excessive dependence on the traditional and subsistence farming methods also amounts to poor agricultural yields.
Unsustainable agriculture as being practiced by the conventional and traditional methods of farming in Uganda, have severe environmental and social-economic consequences in the country. The consequences of monoculture farming, intensive irrigation, overgrazing, poor crop rotation and soil management cannot be overemphasized. Conventional farming methods may be susceptible to erosion, leading to nutrient depletion and soil degradation. The clearing of lands and cutting of trees to make way for farmlands can cause ecosystem disruption, leading to the destruction of habitats and biodiversity loss. The use of strong chemical fertilizers can lead to water pollution, air pollution and fertilizer emissions.
Rural livelihoods are also impacted by unsustainable agricultural practices. Decreased crop yields results in reduced productivity and lower income, this in turn exacerbates poverty among rural farmers. They are also at health risks as they are exposed to strong chemical fertilizers and water-borne diseases.
Sustainable Agriculture in Uganda
Sustainability as a term, refers to the use of available resources whilst avoiding it’s depletion to maintain it’s balance and availability for the next generation. Sustainable agriculture in this context is the farming practices which places priority on environmental conservation and balance, social responsibility, economic growth whilst producing healthy food enough to feed the nation and a reserve for foreign exchange.
Sustainable agricultural practices that can have widespread applications in Uganda are many. These practices can help the nation in its fight against climate change and tremendously improves its agricultural sector. Some of these practices are: agroecology which integrates ecological principles into the mainstream agricultural system, lays emphasis on biodiversity, soil health and ecological resilience. Organic farming focuses on the use of natural inputs and processes to maintain soil health and ecosystem balance. This methods avoids the use of chemicals which may be harmful to the environment and pose a health-risk to farmers.
Conservation agriculture is another method that has minimal soil disturbance, maintains soil cover and crop diversification, enhancing soil health and productivity. To make up for the large expanses of forests cut down to make room for agriculture, agroforestry can be adopted. Here, trees are combined with shrubs, crops and livestock to create a sustainable and productive use of the land. Trees are planted as windbreaks, integrating fruit trees with annual crops. This forest farming technique improves and increases biodiversity and resilience. Other sustainable agricultural practices such as integrated pest management, crop rotation, rainwater harvesting, livestock grazing management and climate-smart agriculture which can help farmers produce crops that are resistant to the impact of climate change, would drive the agricultural sector of Uganda.
Uganda is on the path towards sustainability in its agricultural sector, the nation has over the years been making efforts in improving and developing its agricultural sector, using modern-day technological processes and practices. Sustainable agriculture in Uganda continues to lay emphasis on environmental conservation, protection and enhancement of natural resources such as soil, water and the nation’s biodiversity. Economic practicability is prioritized, integrating crop and livestock production in such a way to maximize its output and profit. It is also making efforts ensuring that local farming communities are supported with tools, organic fertilizers and know-how to improve crop yields and animal production. With so much potentials and availability of resources, the improved practice of sustainable agriculture in Uganda would go a long way into ensuring food security, environmental protection and economic growth for the country.
Policies Supporting Sustainable Agriculture in Uganda
There are various policies that have been set up by the government of Uganda to support the adoption and widespread use of sustainable agricultural practices in the country. In 2004, Uganda adopted the Uganda Organic Standard (UOS). This policy requires the fusion of biological, cultural and mechanical practices that enhances the cycling of resources, promoting ecological balance and conserving biodiversity. In 2009, the Ugandan government released a draft on the Ugandan Organic Agriculture Policy. This has increased the export of organic products from Uganda, contributing to its economy.
In 2013, the National Agriculture Policy was adopted, and the Climate Change Policy was adopted two years later, in 2015. In that same year, Uganda signed the International Agreement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which became known as the Paris Agreement. And having built a platform for talks and walks on environmental protection and conservation, in 2018, the government developed the National Environment Policy.
Uganda has a national vision, a development strategy tagged Uganda Vision 2040, its aim is to transform Uganda from its present state to a modern and prosperous society by 2040. The government has also set up various initiatives to promote sustainable agriculture and enhance agricultural research in the country. These initiatives includes the National Agriculture Research Organization (NARO), which promotes climate-resilient crops for farmers; Uganda National Farmers Federation(UNFF), which supports farmer organizations; Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN), which certifies sustainable farms, African Organic Network (AON), which promotes organic farming, Uganda Agricultural Development and Finance and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) which supports small-scale farmers.
These policies and initiatives, designed to promote sustainable agriculture and environmental protection in Uganda has facilitated the start up and completion of successful projects. Sustainable agriculture is the future of agriculture in Uganda. It is important that the government, civil societies, private sectors and even the farmers continue to make efforts towards improving sustainable agricultural practices in the country. This would efficiently make use of the present available natural resources in the country, enhancing and making them available for the next generation to come.