How would you assess the situation of agroecology in Uganda?
Agroecology is on the right track in Uganda. If you want to promote agroecology, you first have to optimize the policy trajectory – just like you have to do for any initiative. After all, politics sets the framework. We have started developing a national agroecology strategy and are now halfway through the second draft. The process being driven not only by the Minister of Agriculture; we are also working together with civil society organizations. One of the most important organizations is Pelum Uganda.
Editor’s note: Pelum Uganda (Participatory Ecological Land Use Management Uganda), an NGO, is a Biovision partner organization that supports ecological land use and smallholder farming families in Uganda.
What potential do you see for agroecology in Uganda?
We have great potential. We have a lot of land, much of which is still untouched. According to statistics, Uganda is a country that uses very few chemicals. Sixty per cent of our farming families produce without chemical fertilizers or herbicides. We are unable to satisfy the growing demand for organic products. We have political support from Pelum and other organizations. And we also have development partners like Biovision who really do a lot. The future for agroecology is very promising.
Bob Sunday
is the point of contact for ecological farming in the Ugandan Ministry of Agriculture. He is a trained agroecologist who studied at universities in Kampala and Aberdeen.
What challenges are there to making the food system in Uganda more sustainable?
In my opinion, there are problems in the means of production. If we encourage people to farm organically, we need to make sure that there is no contamination. There’s a whole tier of local organic pesticide producers. But because their prices are a little higher, farming families cannot afford their products. The quantities are also not sufficient yet. What we need now is financial support so those companies can increase their capacity. Additionally, 500,000 farmers who produce organically are not certified because the certification process is expensive. That is why we are working with other stakeholders to promote a participatory certification system.
What are the impacts of climate change on agroecology in Uganda?
Climate change is a major challenge: the seasons have changed; rain patterns are no longer reliable; new pests and diseases are coming our way. It’s a struggle.
Can agroecology help face these challenges?
Yesterday, a farmer was able to harvest a large crop thanks to synthetic fertilizer. But is it sustainable? Tomorrow the soil will be degraded: its ability to absorb water has changed, its structure has changed; the soil is totally depleted. Agroecology favours environmentally friendly cultivation methods and thus promotes biodiversity. This allows us to use the ecosystem to provide food for today’s generation without compromising the needs of future generations.
How did the national agroecology strategy get started?
When we started developing the agroecology strategy, there was a little confusion among the people involved. Some wondered: there is agroecology, there is ecological agriculture; people talk about climate-friendly agriculture and regenerative agriculture – what are the differences? What exactly is agroecology? So we had to organize a big meeting and differentiate between the individual terms to make sure that we were speaking the same language. We agreed on a definition of agroecology: agroecology is a big house with a lot of rooms. There is one room for ecological agriculture, one for climate-smart agriculture, and so on.
What is the government’s aim in developing the national agroecology strategy (NAS)?
Uganda’s government is one that is really trying to promote nature-friendly initiatives. A lot of synthetic substances exist. But now with this strategy we are trying to ensure that we increase food production to feed the growing population in a sustainable way. We want food that feeds the growing population but is also safe from contamination. If you pollute the soil, you kill all the soil microbes and disturb the whole ecosystem.
How can agroecology support Uganda’s economic development?
Once we have a strategy and support nature-friendly initiatives that protect the environment, soil health and water resources, then we can also improve production and productivity. We will be capable of exporting organic products that meet international standards.
What role can an organization like Biovision play?
Biovision has already played an important role by connecting us with stakeholders from other countries in the region and by facilitating dialogue with them. But of course also by supporting Pelum Uganda. Biovision could also play a key role in capacity building, for example by promoting research in agroecology through scholarships for doctoral students. It can also help us develop strategies and legislation. We are only halfway there and still need funding to organize further national strategy consultations.
What is the personal motivation behind your commitment to agroecology?
It is my passion. I have this inner motivation that drives me. I want nature to have its place in everything we do. Today pollution is everywhere: in the water, in the air, in the food system. Where are we heading? We have to act smart! We need to fix these problems. And we have to make sure that people not yet born have a planet on which they can breathe. Otherwise there will be a catastrophe.
