Business & Management
17 Government Fisheries officials skilled on Bio-Economics of Fisheries Management
Seventeen (17) fisheries experts from the Uganda’s districts of Kampala, Mukono, Masaka. Wakiso and Jinja have been retooled on the bio-economics of fisheries management . The two days training (15th-16th March 2023) held at Makerere University was facilitated by Africa’s and Ghanaian renowned Professor of environmental economics, Wisdom Akpalu.
Prof. Wisdom was invited by the EfD-Mak centre to come and provide training on bio-economics of fisheries management to fisheries officers in Uganda. Prof. Wisdom is the centre Director of EfD Ghana but also the member of the coordination committee of the entire EfD Network and member of the capacity development committee of the EfD Network but also, the leader of the Blue resources for development- a collaborative program within the EfD Network where fisheries fall.
Government fisheries officials were retooled on different aspects including the cost, revenue and profit in fisheries economics, growth functions in fisheries, property rights and resources extraction, policy instruments to regulate overfishing. Other aspects were dynamic equilibrium and the concept of shadow value, destructive fishing practices, resource use externalities and the performance of capture fisheries in Africa.
The training was officially opened by the Principal College of Business and Management Sciences Assoc. Prof. Eria Hisali who congratulated the centre Director for organizing this training and other initiatives adding that, they are important because they add to our visibility as a a college and university and it also takes us to the government and other agencies out there.
Prof. Hisali noted that Fisheries and fish related products are among and still remain among the five leading exports from Uganda while Africa is one of the two continents where the big proportion of the population still lives directly of the fishing activities and Natural resources in general.
“Our concern then, is the way these activities are being undertaken is not sustainable we risk depleting these resources because of population pressure, and unsustainable practices and once that happens it threatens our existence of our continent but also as countries because if we deplete resources and yet we are living directly of the same, then everyone should be starting to imagine what will happen.
What will happen is untold suffering but also direct conflict for the little resources that would have remained and disintegration of countries and societies” he decried
The Principal challenged all participants to look at the strategic importance of the lessons to be undertaken in the two days
“This intervention that the center is undertaking to share insights on how best we can sustainably use these resources becomes very important for the very survival of our countries. I want you to look at this training as a very important one because it speaks of the very basis of our survival as a country and continent”, Prof. Hisali stressed.
Prof. Hisali advised participants to form a network which should go deeper into ideas given by Prof. Wisdom, contextualize them and ensure they are fully applicable to the Ugandan situation and begin influencing sustainable practices and policy.
“Some civil servants at your level tend to under look themselves. You are extremely powerful and you can influence so many things. So go with that confidence and come up with suggestions that are practical, make sense and that can be implemented.
As a university and specifically the center, Hisali pledged full availability to work closely with the fisheries experts and to convene in case they have ideas to work through the nitty gritties and contribute own insights .Prof. Hisali also pledged that the university will equally be available in terms of creating platforms for the works that fisheries experts do to engage wth policy makers.
As they integrate lessons and experiences and insights, and as they develop materials for policy advocacy, the principal implored participants to get back to working places and pass on the message to build capacity in institution to have a critical mass of public servants and members of the community who have a different perspective on the way of handling natural resources and understanding the implications of mismanagement of resources.
“History will judge extremely harshly if we don’t take the necessary actions today to ensure that the next generation of the people in our continent live a better and more meaningful life”
The Principal thanked Prof. Wisdom Akpalu for making time to come to Uganda and Makerere University in particular to share the knowledge, skills and experiences from Ghana, expressing the need for opening up to share cross country comparisons to learn from one another on the basis of areas with commonalities.
Knowledge on the biology and economics of fisheries management critical for practitioners.
Prof. Wisdom Akpalu observed that Africa has very few people who have the expertise in combining the biology and economics of fisheries management which has made fisheries management difficult and unattractive because decision makers usually want to hear about money, stocks have declined, how to improve stocks and how much can be got if stocks are improved, the social economic implications when stocks are improved and cost involved.
So, by bringing the biology and economics together one is able to paint a much better picture that is more appreciated by policy makers.
“The message is clear. We cannot manage what do not know. We cannot manage if we do not have some level of technical knowledge of how the fisheries operate and it is not sufficient to just have knowledge of the biology of fish the size, movement etc”, Wisdom stated.
Wisdom described Fisheries as an interesting area because it has so many dimensions that requires one to understand both the biology that is, how the fish grows, the thresholds in nature that you cannot harvest beyond a certain threshold or else the stock can collapse. And then you have to add the dimension of economics that when these fishes are harvested, they are harvested for economic and social reasons, as a source of food and also sold in the market that brings in the issue of cost, revenue and how does these influence the way we manage the resource.
“By providing them this knowledge, they now have a better sense of how to bring the knowledge in the biology and economics together to distinguish between concepts such as maximum sustainable yield which is the maximum quantity of fish that we can catch on a yearly basis and maximum economic yield which is the quantity to catch to generate the highest economic benefit.
Usually, the maximum economic yield may be lower than the maximum sustainable yield which means to make a lot of money, or to make the highest possible profit from the fisheries, you may have to deploy a lesser level of effort than you are aiming to catch the maxim you can catch on a yearly basis for society to consume”. The professor explained.
He further explained that sometimes the biology will recommend catching up to maxim yield but, the economics may recommend to restrict the catch because when you catch all, the profits you make is lower. If you reduce the catch at a lower level, other things have to come in, the social consideration, whether fishing for profit or other reason and how to incorporate those reasons in the basic model so as to appreciate things beyond economic gains or pure profits from economics.
Prof. Wisdom commended the participants for the active participation and ability to grasp the subject matter.
“I have been quite impressed. When I was coming, I knew they were going to be faculty graduate students etc. Only to see practitioners, people who were in the field doing fisheries work . I was wondering whether they are a cut for a course like this. But to my surprise, with all the concepts that I had to go through they were very comfortable.
“They showed the clear understanding of the concept and they were looking for more and when I gave exercises they did it clearly and gave me the answers. It has been quiet impressive and it shows that they have potential and the zeal, they have the interest and they will put what they have learnt to practice”. He appreciated.
Prof. Wisdom encourage the university to continue with this type of collaboration adding that the EfD Network within the continent has a lot expertise and potential that can be harnessed for the benefit of individual countries and the continent.
“With this type of interaction we share knowledge and sometimes we tend to undervalue this knowledge that we share but I believe that if we have to change things for better for the continent, we have to begin to make use of our expertise and experiences in a platform like this.
Today, it is bio-economics of fisheries management and next time it should be something also relevant for the continent This was a very good positive initiative, I applaud the university and encourage them to continue” He said.
Namaganda Ruth, the Fisheries officer from Mukono District Local Government said:
“The training was very productive to me in that being on the frontline of managing the fisheries, it gives you a clear picture of how you can predict and advise fishermen as the primary beneficiaries of the resource. At the district level, when policies are being developed, we can guide the technical officers, our superiors and politicians on how to effectively manage the resources.
If possible, the centre should organize more training in other aspects of natural resources because management is so diverse”.
Maganda Moses is the Senior Environmental Officer from Jinja District Local Government. He said:
“The training was very good. Much of what we are missing in government is attaching an economic value to what we do. We do not have those basics of making those estimates and calculations. But at least now, I have an idea of what I can do in case they need such information or data. The training was on how we can collect data on a particular resource of the fisheries sector.
So it was a very good training only that the training period of two days was inadequate and probably and we need further training in that, and even those who did not benefit from this, it would be good to introduce them to such training so that they are equipped with skills of generating data in the fisheries sector”.
Importance of the Fisheries sector
Fisheries according to Prof. Wisdom plays a key role in our social economic social being world over and on the continent. In Ghana, for example about 60% of the animal protein needed comes from fisheries and this because the other types of animal protein are either unavailable, scarce or expensive. So a lot of people derive that requirement from fish.
The same applies in Uganda, where people would have loved to eat fish but because fish is not readily available. So that fact that we have less than 10% of animal protein from fish, is not that people do not like fish but because it is outside the reach of the majority of people.
On the other hand, Wisdom asserts that fisheries are resources that if properly managed they can last forever but then these fisheries are over capitalized and over fished in Ghana and Uganda. So, the fisheries sector is extremely important for job create employing a huge number of the population, giving animal protein requirement,.
“Fisheries products provides foreign exchange because a lot of money is spent through foreign exchange in Uganda through Nile perch processing and export .So the sector is critical and beyond just being important even the value alone to the fish that is harvested is about 2.1% of the Ugandan GDP and that is why it was important for the government officials to be retooled”. Prof. Wisdom explained.
Key issues affecting the fisheries sector
Prof. Wisdom noted that the fisheries sector both in Ghana and Uganda are troubled with so many challenges . One of those is over-capitalization where there are too many vessels, canoes, boats and that has to be reduced. There is also lack of proper management and so much competition for stocks from different sub-sectors that is leading to over exploitation of stock.
There is use of all sorts of destructive methods because there is competition for stock as fisher men tend to think that they can use other illegal means to be able to catch more fish. Some use explosive dynamites, small size nets, small filament nets which are all over the places posing a serious challenge within the industry.
But most importantly there is lack of knowledge and capacity to be able to appreciate the impact of all problems on the stocks, harvest, profits and gains that generated from these resources.
Key policy interventions Uganda can emulate from Ghana
From the discussions and interactions with the fisheries experts, Prof. Wisdom noted that Ghana and Uganda it appears have similar challenges including over capacity in the fishing activities taking place, low political and foreign interests in the fisheries sector with foreigners coming in to compete with locals.
In Ghana, Wisdom said, there are areas dedicated to small scale fishing and the aim is to secure livelihoods of poor people living along coastal communities, with specific marked spaces that are reserved for local fishermen so that they can have some catch.
Uganda can learn that Ghana has demarcated where and what locals and foreigners can fish.
“We should also priorities local fishermen viz-a-viz foreign vessels and if possible impose enough taxes on the foreign vessels and use those taxes to take care of local fishermen. We realized that we can gain efficiency by allowing foreign vessels to fish species that local people find difficult to catch and make sure we get taxes that can support local fishing industry so that local fishermen are not denied their basic livelihoods.
Ghana according Prof. Wisdom has clauses and policies where within specific areas fishermen are not supposed to fish to allow the stocks to recover. From the discussion with the fisheries officials, Uganda also did it once or twice but has not done it for some time. It is time for Uganda to revisit and try to implement this policies because there are clear ecological benefits and improvement in catches of fisher folks.
Although Uganda has marine police like in Ghana, Ghana in addition has other established local institutions. There is what is called, “landing beach enforcement committee” where local people constitute themselves into enforcement units and they are able to control some of the illegal practices about fisher folks that Uganda can learn from.
Ghana as explained by Prof. Wisdom has a strong collaboration between research, academia and policy makers working at the ministries and then, the stakeholders the fisher folks and civil society organizations. That platform he advised should be encouraged to be created so that it will not be one sided decision, it will be a platform where researchers, fisher folks, civil society organizations and the ministries can always come together to discuss issues of common interest.
Ghana has also established the scientific and technical committee of the Fisheries commission compromising stakeholders such as people from academia who identify and investigate issues for discussion and advise the commission to implement issues observed and Uganda can learn from this.
In Ghana’s fishing communities, there is what they call, “the fish queens or mummies”. These are women who take key roles in post-harvest activities and the fish queen is the leader of women engaged in fish processing and trading and typically, they are the ones who determine the pricing of fish. When the fisher folks come from the sea, they observe the catches of a few vessels like the first three canoes and are able to tell what the supply of the day would be and that guides them to determine the price per measure would be and they announce that price and every fisherman that comes has to sell at that price. So they play that key role of determining the price of fish and all fishermen on that day obey that particular price.
In Ghana, the fisheries industry especially the artisanal vessels are supposed to be Ghanaian. The semi-industrial vessels are also supposed to be owned by Ghanaians and including industrial trawlers are also supposed to be owned by Ghanaians. But because the Ghanaian don’t have the capacity to own the trawlers, they go into a hire purchase agreement and the agreement tends to be rooted in corruption. Those who claim to have hired the vessels do it on behalf of foreigners who disguise as experts on how to manage vessels but are the true beneficiaries. At the end of the day they end up catching the fish they are not supposed to and make a lot of money. So there are Vessel Monitoring Systems that are installed on vessels to monitor and track them and to know where exactly they are operating.
Prof. Wisdom says he has been recommending installation of video devices so that the activities can be watched at a distance so that they can be regulated better and avoid exploitation. By installing video devices on boats and vessels that target big species like the Nile perch to monitor them, the benefits cost will be 21 to 1.
Remarks by the Director EfD-Mak centre
Prof. Edward Bbaale welcomed participants to Makarere University and the EfD Centre. In a special way, Prof. Bbaale thanked the visiting professor for moving all the way from Ghana to come and facilitate the workshop.
Bbaale also extended appreciation to the university management and the Principal CoBAMS for facilitating and overseeing the center’s operations.
He thanked participants for making time to come to Makerere saying, they were selected because they were instrumental in their duty station assuring them that the training will focus on what they do at their places of work.
Prof. Bbaale assured participants that none of the participants was selected by Makerere but letters were write to their bosses who selected them. He said by the end of the training, they would have changed the way they perceived things and the way they would want to go deeper into bio economics of fisheries management.
He assured participants that the facilitator is one of the best environmental economists in Africa.
“We have a person that has invested a lot of time in the work for which he is sharing with us. He has had a lot of experience working with international organizations before he came back to work with a university in Ghana and also to established the EfD centre in Ghana”
He thanked Prof. Wisdom for creating this collaboration saying, the center is developing capacity in different areas and would be glad to visit Ghana and share the experiences.
“Uganda is an agricultural country and the government officers you see here are very few compared to the need that we have, that means that may be another time we shall invite you for another cohort because here, are people from the ministry of agriculture, environmental police, and colleagues from different local governments from different districts. It means that to have lasting impact we must require that we have several rounds of this nature”, Bbaale added.
Prof. Wisdom Akpalu
Prof. Wisdom is the Centre Director of EfD Ghana but also the member of the coordination committee of the entire EfD Network and member of the capacity development committee of the EfD Network but importantly, the leader of the Blue resources for development- a collaborative program within the EfD Network where fisheries is. He obtained a PhD in economics from the University of Gothenburg Sweden 2006. He is currently Dean, of the School of Research and Graduate Studies at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration. Prof Wisdom is also the President of the African Association of Environmental and Resource Economists in Africa. His research focuses on social economics of natural resource management including fisheries management, economics of crime and punishment and economic institutions.
Business & Management
EfD, MDAs & Private Sector Strategize on Scaling up the Adoption of Climate Smart Agriculture in Uganda
Researchers, government officials and private sector actors convened in Kampala to draw a roadmap for accelerating the adoption of Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) as Uganda struggles with rising climate shocks, stagnating agricultural productivity and worsening poverty levels.
The high-level annual workshop, held on December 4, 2025 at the Sheraton Kampala Hotel, was organised by the Environment for Development (EfD) Mak Centre through its regional Inclusive Green Economy (IGE) Programme. The initiative seeks to strengthen links between research and policy, improve knowledge uptake, and identify long-standing barriers limiting CSA adoption in Uganda.
The annual IGE transformation initiative requires public servants to demonstrate how they can translate training into practical solutions. This year’s focus is on advancing CSA as a vehicle for sustainable production, poverty reduction, gender inclusion and resilience across agricultural value chains.
The meeting brought together stakeholders from key ministries including Agriculture, Finance, and Water, Tourism along with researchers, academia, private sector suppliers of solar-powered irrigation technologies, civil society, farmers’ representatives and the media., with discussions focused on strategies to improve farmer uptake of CSA practices and to ensure the country’s agricultural sector remains a backbone for economic growth.
Uganda’s Agriculture at crossroads
Delivering the keynote address on behalf of the Commissioner, Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), Emmanuel Odeng warned that Uganda’s agricultural sector, long considered the backbone of the economy, is now facing severe setbacks driven largely by climate change and weak investment in resilient food systems.
Odeng noted that agriculture still contributes significantly to Uganda’s development, accounting for 24% of GDP as of 2022/23, 35% of export earnings and employing over 80% of the population. “This sector remains the main pathway to poverty reduction; Uganda cannot develop without agriculture,” he said.
However, he observed that agricultural contribution to the economy has stagnated and, in some cases, declined sharply. GDP contribution has dropped from 34.1% in 2009 to 24% in 2022, a trend he said should alarm policymakers and CSA implementers.
“Yields are decreasing, water sources are reducing, heat waves are rising. Communities are becoming more vulnerable, and many households are slipping back into poverty,” Odeng said.
He cited recent statistics showing that while 8.4% of households moved out of poverty, 10.2% slipped back in, resulting in an additional 1.4 million Ugandans falling into poverty between 2019 and 2021.
Climate shocks worsening vulnerability
The keynote highlighted the increasing frequency of climate-related disasters including droughts, floods, landslides and the siltation of major water bodies such as Lake Kyoga as major threats to productivity and food security.
Uganda’s forest cover, wetlands and grazing lands are shrinking rapidly, with more than 6,000 gazetted wetlands facing severe encroachment. Odeng revealed that modelling conducted by the Ministry shows a consistent decline in natural resource size and quality over the last decade.
“There is a strong relationship between natural resource degradation, economic loss and poverty. This vicious cycle must be broken through science-based approaches,” he said.
The Ministry, he added, is working with development partners to deploy dredgers in key water bodies to restore aquatic ecosystems and fisheries, which have been heavily affected by sedimentation.
CSA Seen as the path to recovery
Odeng called for the urgent scaling-up of CSA approaches across crop, livestock and fisheries value chains, emphasising innovations in agroecology and soil rehabilitation, irrigation and water harvesting, mechanisation, climate-resilient seed systems, afforestation and agroforestry and post-harvest management and value addition.
MAAIF aims to increase production across value chains by 40%, anchored on resilient value chains and updated CSA compendiums being developed by the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO).
He urged researchers to identify priority areas that can help farmers withstand climate shocks, boost household incomes and support Uganda’s agro-industrialisation agenda under the National Development Plan (NDP).
Odeng tasks stakeholders with three critical questions on boosting CSA adoption
Odeng left participants with three pressing questions that he said must guide Uganda’s CSA agenda. First, he challenged researchers to identify which research areas can practically help farmers build resilience and escape poverty, noting that many households continue to slide back into vulnerability due to climate shocks.
Odeng’s second question focused on productivity, calling on stakeholders to determine which Climate Smart Agriculture approaches are most relevant for raising farmers’ yieldsacrossthe country’s struggling value chains.
His third assignment centred on food security and market losses, urging experts to outline which CSA-related strategies can best improve post-harvest handling, an area he said continues to undermine farmers’ incomes despite increased production efforts.
The three questions, he emphasized, should frame the day’s discussions and guide future policy, research and investment priorities.
“We must ask ourselves: Which resilience-building approaches will help farmers move out of poverty? Which CSA options will sustainably increase productivity? These are the questions we must answer today,” he said.
EfD warns of rising climate risks, calls for stronger research–policy linkage
The Environment for Development (EfD) Mak Centre called for urgent, coordinated action to strengthen CSA as Uganda faces intensifying climate impacts and deteriorating natural resources. Delivering remarks on behalf of the EfD Director, Dr. John Sseruyange urged closer collaboration between researchers and policymakers to address the country’s growing vulnerabilities.
Sseruyange described the workshop’s focus on CSA as “very timely,” noting that climate change has moved from an abstract debate to a lived reality affecting farmers, households and entire ecosystems. “Climate change is no longer something distant. It is happening today, and as a country that depends heavily on agriculture, we must direct our knowledge and skills to climate smart solutions,” he said.
Sseruyange explained that EfD’s annual workshops are purposely designed to reduce the long-standing disconnect between academic research and policy implementation. When researchers work in isolation, he warned, their findings risk remaining unused.
“When you do research without involving stakeholders, your work may remain on the shelves,” he cautioned. “But when policymakers tell you what they want, they own the final product and it informs real decisions.”
He urged government ministries, district officials, academic institutions and other actors present to actively guide researchers on emerging CSA priorities.
Climate change already deepening Uganda’s vulnerabilities
According to Dr. Sseruyange, climate change is already manifesting through declining agricultural productivity, degraded soil and water resources, and weakened resilience across farming communities. These impacts, he said, continue to slow Uganda’s development and threaten progress in poverty reduction.
Sseruyange noted that despite agriculture being the backbone of the economy and the largest employer, its performance remains unstable and highly sensitive to weather variability. He warned that shrinking water bodies, degraded wetlands and reduced forest cover are undermining rural livelihoods and stressing agricultural systems.
“Ecosystems are degrading fast. Many of our gazetted wetlands and forest reserves are shrinking, and water sources are getting more strained,” he said. “These challenges directly affect agricultural output and household income.”
Need for targeted research and CSA interventions
Sseruyange emphasized that Uganda cannot advance CSA without research that responds to actual field challenges, especially in the context of increasing droughts, erratic rainfall and soil depletion. He urged researchers to prioritize practical, scalable innovations that strengthen resilience and sustain production.
He also highlighted the importance of improving post-harvest handling, mechanization, soil health and climate-resilient farming techniques, saying these areas should guide future research and policy support.
Concluding his remarks, Sseruyange tasked participants with three questions that he said should shape Uganda’s future CSA agenda and guide the work of researchers and policymakers alike:
- Which research areas can help farmers become more resilient and overcome poverty?
- Which CSA approaches are most relevant for boosting farmers’ productivity?
- Which climate-smart strategies can improve post-harvest handling and reduce losses?
He said these questions will help determine the direction of upcoming EfD research and strengthen the evidence base needed for effective climate-resilient agriculture.
Sseruyange thanked participants for their engagement and reaffirmed EfD’s commitment to supporting Uganda’s transition to sustainable, climate-smart farming systems.
Low CSA uptake threatens Uganda’s food security, livelihoods and long-term growth – Dr. Peter Babyenda
Policy Engagement Specialist Dr. Peter Babyenda sounded the alarm over Uganda’s slow adoption of Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA), warning that the country risks missing its food security and development targets unless farmers, policymakers and extension workers urgently scale up climate-responsive farming practices.
Babyenda said Uganda cannot afford to delay implementing CSA strategies, given the rising threats of drought, floods, erratic rainfall and pest outbreaks that continue to devastate farms across the country.
“CSA offers triple wins – increased productivity, greater climate resilience and potential climate mitigation,” Babyenda said. “But despite these clear benefits, adoption among farmers remains very low.”
Babyenda cited EfD studies and stakeholder interviews showing that farmers face major constraints, including logistical barriers, limited affordability of CSA technologies, inadequate extension services, and low awareness or motivation to adopt climate-resilient practices.
“We need to invest in CSA-focused extension services, support farmer training, raise awareness, and design policies that deliberately include women and youth,” he emphasized.
According to Babyenda, agriculture remains the backbone of Uganda’s economy contributing 23.8% of GDP and employing 68% of the working population. It is also central to the country’s value-addition agenda under the Fourth National Development Plan.
But the sector is undergoing strain from climate change.
“Over 96 percent of farming households rely on rain-fed agriculture, making farmers extremely vulnerable to climate variability,” he said, citing rising temperatures, shifting rainfall patterns, droughts, floods, landslides and increasing pest and disease outbreaks.
He warned that these climatic pressures threaten food security and Uganda’s long-term economic ambitions, including the country’s “tenfold growth” aspiration by 2040.
Rising population adds pressure
Uganda’s rapidly growing population projected by the UN to potentially double in coming decades has intensified demand for food even as climate impacts reduce agricultural productivity.
“Farmers face a dual challenge: feeding a growing population while adapting to worsening climate shocks,” Babyenda noted.
He added that agriculture itself contributes to climate change through unsustainable farming practices, creating a “complex cycle” that demands urgent policy and behavioural reforms.
Government moving, but gaps remain
Dr. Babyenda acknowledged that government ministries particularly Agriculture, Water and Environment, Energy, and Finance are already promoting CSA to improve productivity, resilience and emissions reduction.
CSA practices such as conservation agriculture, improved seed varieties, water-conserving irrigation, agroforestry and integrated pest management offer Uganda a path to more resilient food systems.
However, he stressed that these interventions must be scaled up and better aligned with local realities.
“We need localized, context-specific partnerships that make CSA accessible and practical for farmers, especially smallholders,” he said.
Dr. Babyenda said the workshop was crucial for ensuring that Uganda’s agriculture sector can withstand climate shocks while supporting economic transformation.
“Scaling up CSA is not just desirable—it is essential for Uganda’s economic and environmental stability,” he concluded.
Transformation Initiative to tackle adoption barriers for smallholder farmers– IGE Fellow
In a bid to enhance agricultural productivity and resilience to climate change, Opeet Thomas, an IGE fellow presented the Transformation Initiative (TI) aimed at accelerating CSA adoption among smallholder farmers in Uganda.
Opeet highlighted that agriculture, which employs over 70% of Uganda’s population, remains highly vulnerable to climate shocks, including erratic rainfall, prolonged dry spells, livestock heat stress, floods, and droughts.
“The challenges are not hypothetical; they are very real for our farmers,” Opeet said, citing a 2019-2020 survey indicating drought as a major contributor to agricultural shocks. “Even this year, planting seasons have been disrupted by unpredictable rains and extreme heat, making it very difficult for farmers to sustain production.”
The Transformation Initiative, a research-based activity developed by IGE fellows, aims to identify solutions to critical issues affecting CSA adoption. Opeet explained that limited uptake of CSA is partly due to low farmer awareness, inadequate extension services, high input costs, and the incapacity of extension workers themselves to disseminate knowledge effectively.
“Extension workers play a pivotal role in bridging the knowledge gap, yet many lack the skills, transport, and institutional support to reach farmers,” he noted, adding that policy and institutional frameworks often fail to prioritize CSA innovations, leaving essential initiatives underfunded or poorly implemented.
Opeet outlined a framework for technology adoption, emphasizing the interaction between technology providers, supportive policies, extension workers, and farmers. He stressed that even when technologies such as irrigation systems, composting, and the use of beneficial insects like the black soldier fly exist, adoption remains limited due to resource constraints, lack of awareness, and low capacity among implementers.
Highlighting the benefits of CSA, Opeet emphasized the “triple win” it offers: higher production and productivity, increased resilience to climate shocks, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. He cited examples such as small-scale irrigation and innovative insect-based feed for livestock and fish as practices with high potential, provided they are scaled up effectively.
Despite these opportunities, Opeet warned that challenges persist, including the high cost of inputs, limited water access, land constraints, and a general disinterest in farming among youth. He called for increased research, policy support, and education to bridge these gaps and make CSA accessible to all farmers.
“The goal of the Transformation Initiative is to generate evidence that informs policy and practical interventions so farmers can adopt CSA effectively,” he said. “If implemented, CSA can improve yields, strengthen resilience against climate shocks, and contribute to environmental sustainability.”
Workshop Takeaways: Strengthening Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) for National Impact
The workshop brought together key stakeholders to identify practical solutions for scaling CSA across Uganda. Participants emphasized the need for stronger policy engagement, improved extension support, and enhanced cross-sector collaboration to accelerate nationwide adoption of CSA practices.
Experts highlighted the importance of innovation, policy alignment, and farmer engagement as essential drivers of productivity and climate resilience. They noted that meaningful partnerships between researchers and practitioners are critical for translating technical knowledge into actionable interventions on the ground.
Discussions underscored the urgency of integrating CSA into existing national policies to safeguard food security and strengthen rural livelihoods. Stakeholders also pointed to the value of innovative practices such as irrigation technologies and the use of beneficial insects like the black soldier flies in boosting both productivity and resilience.
Participants identified three priority areas for advancing CSA: Research to enhance farmer resilience and reduce poverty; CSA approaches that sustainably improve agricultural productivity and Strategies to strengthen post-harvest handling and reduce losses.
The workshop further highlighted the need to invest in farmer-to-farmer extension models, community-based facilitators, and improved profiling of extension workers to ensure knowledge reaches even remote communities. Participants stressed that CSA solutions must remain affordable and practical, avoiding undue burdens on farmers or the national treasury.
The meeting closed with a strong spirit of collaboration, as stakeholders committed to refining CSA strategies and ensuring that research, policy, and practice continue to move in tandem to transform Uganda’s agricultural sector.
Jane Anyango is the Communication Officer, EfD-Mak Centre
Business & Management
EfD-Mak, GRO Foundation & BoU Hold High-Level Roundtable on Green and SDG-Linked Financing
Makerere University on Wednesday hosted a high-level policy dialogue bringing together researchers from the Environment for Development (EfD-Mak) Centre, representatives from the Green Gas + Reforestation +Offset (GRO) and Bank of Uganda, to explore alternative financing mechanisms for climate action and sustainable development.
The roundtable, held ahead of the Tumusiime-Mutebile Annual Public Lecture, focused on “Building Capacity and Market Readiness for Green and SDG-Linked Financing Mechanisms through Private Sector Mobilisation Towards Achieving the 10-Fold Economic Transformation (ATMS).”
Discussions highlighted Uganda’s urgent need to expand climate financing, build capacity among financial institutions, and strengthen evidence-based policymaking as climate shocks increasingly affect productivity and inflation.
Partnership With GRO Will Build Capacity for Climate Finance Access – Peter Babyenda
EfD-Mak Policy Engagement Specialist and Research Fellow Peter Babyenda said the centre is implementing an Inclusive Green Economy capacity-building program, with this year’s focus on climate-smart agriculture—an area that requires substantial financing for farmers and enterprises.
“For you to promote climate-smart agriculture, you need people who can provide finances for farmers to buy the technologies,” he said.
Babyenda explained that EfD-Mak’s collaboration with GRO is aimed at equipping the private sector and financial institutions with the capacity to mobilize and access climate finance, especially for climate-smart investments.
He added that EfD-Mak has recently partnered with the Ministry of Finance to provide evidence for climate action and stands ready to support GRO through stakeholder linkages, technical training and policy research.
“This roundtable is the start of our collaboration with GRO,” he noted, emphasizing that both institutions are aligned in scaling capacity and readiness for climate financing.
Uganda Must Mobilize Private Capital to Meet Climate and Growth Goals– Prof. Bbaale
Delivering the keynote address, Prof. Edward Bbaale, Principal of CoBAMS and Director of EfD-Mak Centre, warned that abnormal weather patterns such as the extreme heat recorded in November underscore Uganda’s growing climate vulnerability.
“When 26th November feels like January or July, then something is not working well with our environment,” Bbaale said.
He stressed that Uganda’s ambition to achieve a ten-fold economic transformation requires a financing ecosystem that supports sustainability, innovation and private sector participation. He noted that Uganda needs US$228 billion to implement its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), yet climate finance access remains constrained.
“The question is not whether we can participate in the global green financing momentum, but how quickly and effectively we can mobilize the private sector and strengthen institutional capacity,” he said.
Bbaale Reaffirms EfD-Mak’s Readiness to Build Capacity and Partner Across Sectors
Prof. Bbaale placed strong emphasis on capacity building as a cornerstone of Uganda’s transition to a green economy. He highlighted EfD-Mak’s ongoing regional program that trains senior civil servants from five East African countries on using fiscal policy to spur green transformation.
“At the EfD-Mak Centre we believe that knowledge, evidence and partnerships are essential ingredients for real transformation,” he said. “We are ready to collaborate with government, with GRO, with international partners to build the capacity needed to advance climate-responsive and SDG-aligned economic planning.”
He underscored that Makerere University has become more open to partnerships and is pursuing a research-led, innovation-driven agenda, adding that such collaboration is central to the university’s strategic plan.
“Makerere is now more collaborative than ever before. As a research-led university, our success depends on partnerships, knowledge-sharing and internationalisation,” he said.
Bbaale Stresses Need for Evidence to Guide Policy, Fiscal and Monetary Decisions
Bbaale highlighted that researchers must generate real-time evidence to support government and financial sector decisions, especially as climate shocks begin to influence macroeconomic indicators such as inflation.
He noted that changing weather patterns have altered harvest cycles, with crops maturing earlier and reducing food availability—factors that directly affect inflation and complicate the Bank of Uganda’s monetary policy operations.
“If the environment is hitting output and therefore inflation, then monetary policy must speak to environmental shocks,” he said.
Bbaale also pointed to the critical need for natural capital accounting, fiscal policy reforms, and institutional strengthening to enable Uganda to unlock climate finance and achieve sustainable economic growth.
Prof. Bbaale urged participants to use the roundtable to diagnose gaps in market readiness, strengthen networks, and advance financial innovations that complement public funding.
“Let us approach today not just as an event, but as part of a broader national commitment to building resilient, green and inclusive economies,” he said.
He encouraged active engagement throughout the session and assured stakeholders that EfD-Mak would continue to support national, regional and global climate initiatives—including the Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action, where Uganda currently serves as co-chair.
GRO Foundation Pledges to Mobilise $1 Billion Annually as Uganda Ramps Up Green and SDG-Linked Financing
Executive Director of the GRO Foundation Laban Joshua Musinguzi, announced that the organisation is committing to mobilising US$1 billion every year for the next five years to support Uganda’s climate finance ambitions, alternative financing mechanisms and the country’s broader goal of economic transformation.
Musinguzi described the session as both a tribute to the legacy of the late Governor Emmanuel Tumusiime-Mutebile and a call to accelerate Uganda’s readiness for innovative and market-based climate finance.
He opened his remarks by honouring the late Mutebile as a pioneer of macroeconomic stability, institutional reforms and private-sector-led growth.
“Today is memorable because we are here to honour a legacy and inspire the future,” he said. “Mutebile’s vision for resilient financial ecosystems still runs in the blood of young economists and statisticians. I am one of them—I studied here, so I am back home.”
He added that Mutebile’s emphasis on private sector participation remains central to Uganda’s ability to mobilise the financing needed for green growth.
Mr. Musinguzi explained that the GRO Foundation—Greenhouse Gas Reforestation Offsets is a social enterprise committed to alleviating poverty by unlocking climate finance through innovative financial instruments.
“We unlock climate finance by creating financial instruments,” he said.
“These include green bonds, carbon certificates, sustainability bonds and commodity-backed bonds.”
He highlighted that GRO is an “interesting space open to disruptive technology,” and reaffirmed the foundation’s willingness to deepen its partnership with Makerere’s EfD-Mak Centre, financial institutions and government agencies.
The foundation works under the “Fantastic Four framework”—forestation and deforestation, food security, water security, education and skilling, and green jobs—with the current engagement at Makerere falling under the education and skilling pillar.
Musinguzi said Uganda aims to transform its economy to US$500 billion by 2040, but global shifts are demanding new sources of capital, including green financing, SDG-linked financing and capital markets.
“COP30 reinforced alternative financing as key for developing economies,” he said, adding that Uganda made commitments at the global climate conference to accelerate green bonds and SDG-linked bonds.
Uganda is currently implementing five climate finance strategies—among them the green taxonomy and the climate financing vehicle but Musinguzi stressed that implementation now matters more than awareness.
“We are in the last phase of the SDG agenda. We have no time for awareness—we have time for implementation,” he said.
Gaps in Uganda’s Readiness: ESG Integration Still Below 20%
Musinguzi outlined several gaps affecting Uganda’s readiness to access global climate finance: Only 30–40 financial institutions have internal ESG reporting frameworks; Less than 20% of climate risk guidelines have been integrated into credit products; Commercial banks lack clarity on what qualifies as a “green loan” and that Uganda’s regulatory frameworks have not evolved at the pace of technological disruption
He added that Uganda’s first carbon revenue—about US$40 million took nearly a decade to materialise, underscoring how delays in documentation, data and compliance slow financing.
“We must demonstrate institutional capacity through monitoring, reporting and evaluation systems to unlock financing,” he said.“We must be ready for this money.”
GRO’s Track Record: $1.5 Billion Already Mobilised, New Target of $10 Billion
Musinguzi reported that GRO has already mobilised US$1.5 billion, a commitment made at COP Azerbaijan and later presented during Uganda’s National SDG Conference and the Ministry of Water and Environment’s annual reports.
For 2025–2026, the foundation has set a more ambitious target: “We aim to mobilise US$10 billion next financial year.” He emphasised that when GRO says “mobilise,” it means actualinflow, not mere pledges.
“We mobilise, not promise,” he said. “By the time we call it mobilising, we have already brought the money into the country.”
These funds will support Climate finance business windows, Carbon certification schemes (100 million certificates already registered), Private-public-community partnership models and Clean energy, food security, waste management and youth skilling programmes
Concluding his remarks, Musinguzi urged policymakers, academia, financial institutions and development actors to treat climate finance readiness as a national priority.
“The conversation begins here,” he said. “If not now, then when? And if not us, then who?”
He reaffirmed GRO Foundation’s commitment: “We are ready to mobilise US$1 billion every year for Uganda for the next five years.”
Bank of Uganda Positions Sustainability at Core of Financial Sector Reform
The Bank of Uganda (BoU) has intensified efforts to embed sustainability and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) standards across the country’s financial system, describing sustainable development as a “strategic imperative” for Uganda’s long-term economic resilience.
Prisca Ampumuza Rwamare, BoU’s Director of Strategy and Innovation, said Uganda cannot achieve its development goals or meet global commitments without a stable, forward-looking financial sector that is prepared for climate shocks, demographic shifts and resource pressures.
“Sustainable development is no longer optional. It is central to building long-term economic resilience,” Ampumuza said, noting that Mutebile himself consistently emphasised the impact of financial institutions on society.
She revealed that the Bank has redefined its purpose and mission under the 2022–2027 strategic plan to reflect its commitment to socioeconomic transformation. “We had to rethink our business model and strategy,” she said. BoU has integrated sustainability into monetary policy operations, financial stability oversight, payment systems modernisation and risk management frameworks.
The central bank has also signed up for the Sustainability Standards Certification Initiative and revised its corporate social responsibility policy to align with ESG priorities.
Ampumuza highlighted several regulatory steps already underway. In partnership with the Uganda Bankers Association, BoU co-developed an ESG framework for the banking sector, launched in June 2024, with commercial banks now reporting quarterly on progress. BoU has also issued guidelines for managing climate-related financial risks and is reviewing its micro- and macro-prudential supervisory tools to enforce ESG compliance.
A key concern, she said, is preventing “greenwashing” in the financial sector. “We take this very seriously,” she noted, warning against superficial sustainability claims that do not reflect real environmental or social impact.
Innovation, Culture Shift and Collaboration Critical
According to Ampumuza, sustainable finance cannot be achieved through policy updates or digital systems alone. She stressed the need for institutional culture change, data-driven supervision and innovative solutions. That week she said the Bank launched an ambitious Innovation Strategy to support this transformation.
She noted that BoU is undergoing a culture change programme to empower its young workforce over 100 newly recruited staff to champion SDGs and sustainable finance within a traditionally cautious institution.
BoU is also collaborating with international partners including the World Bank, IMF, IFC and the global Network for Greening the Financial System (NGFS) to strengthen policy frameworks and build capacity.
Despite progress, Ampumuza said banks continue to struggle with implementing sustainable finance principles due to capacity gaps, absence of baseline ESG data and limited availability of bankable green projects. She revealed that BoU, the Uganda Bankers Association and the Institute of Bankers recently completed a curriculum on sustainable finance to support sector-wide training.
Ampumuza concluded that sustainability is now fully integrated into BoU’s internal operations. A dedicated department and ESG coordination division have been established, and all projects across currency management, logistics and infrastructure must demonstrate compliance with environmental and social standards. “If this is replicated across the banking sector, we will make significant impact,” she said.
Participants Chart Path to Green and SDG-Linked Financing
A panel, moderated by Canary Mugume, comprising Dr. Peter Babyenda, a climate finance economist from Makerere University, Ms. Elizabeth Mwerinde, Head of Commercial Banking at Ecobank, and Dr. John Sseruyange, an environmental economist at Makerere University examined Uganda’s readiness for green and SDG-linked financing, with a special focus on institutional perspectives and market preparedness.
The discussion underscored that sustainable development is no longer optional for Uganda—it is a strategic imperative for economic transformation. Global financial shifts are creating new opportunities through green finance networks, SDG-linked instruments, and carbon markets. Yet, while Uganda’s macroeconomic fundamentals are strong, the greening component of its economy remains weak.
Speakers emphasized the strategic role of diverse actors in mobilizing green finance. Academia, the private sector, financial institutions, and government all share responsibility, but partnerships must also reach beyond traditional stakeholders to include religious and cultural leaders who can influence public awareness and mindsets. The private sector, in particular, was identified as the engine for Uganda’s ambitious economic transformation.
Despite the potential, persistent challenges remain. Low institutional awareness, limited readiness among financial institutions, and the absence of a strong pipeline of bankable green projects hinder progress. Critical data gaps were highlighted, with Uganda possessing “data sets, not databases,” and research outputs were said to insufficiently inform policy and decision-making.
Panelists stressed the need for evidence-based approaches: different sectors require tailored policy instruments, and academia and think tanks have a vital role in guiding government policies, investment design, and risk assessment. Institutions must deepen their understanding of green financing mechanisms, climate risks, and ESG compliance, while reporting standards and transparency must be strengthened across all levels of the financial system.
Innovations and ongoing initiatives offer a glimpse of progress. The launch of a Sustainable Finance Curriculum for financial institutions and platforms like the monthly “Carbon Tuesdays” at Kati Kati are building capacity and creating space for innovative ideas on carbon markets and climate finance. Meanwhile, the government’s deliberate role in shaping regulatory frameworks and deploying policy instruments—including incentives, guarantees, blended finance, and public-private partnerships—was highlighted as essential.
Mobilizing private capital was presented not as a replacement for public finance, but as a critical complement, expanding Uganda’s financing capacity. The country’s credibility, transparency, and demonstrated ability to manage large-scale investments are key to attracting private investors, alongside a clear pipeline of viable instruments.
The roundtable concluded with a call for a renewed strategy: Uganda must return to the drawing board, scale up bankable green projects, and strengthen institutional capacity. Success, panelists agreed, will depend on partnerships, credible data, strong governance, and unified commitment across sectors—a holistic approach to greening Uganda’s economy and advancing sustainable development.
Jane Anyango is the Communication Officer, EfD-Mak Centre
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