UGANDA
Location
Uganda is a landlocked country on the equator in East Africa. It
is bordered by Kenya to the east; Sudan to the north; Democratic
Republic of the Congo to the west; and Rwanda, Tanzania, and Lake
Victoria to the south. The country has a total area of 241,038 km2
measuring 625 km east to west and 638 km north to south. Although
generally tropical in nature, the climate differs between parts of
the country. However all regions, except for the northeastern
border area and small areas in the southwest, usually receive
sufficient rain to permit crops to grow once or even twice a
year.
Agricultural sector
Fertile soils and regular rainfalls are Uganda's most important
natural resources. Agriculture forms the heart of its economy,
accounting for 45 % of GDP and employing over 80 % of the work
force, with coffee accounting for the bulk of export revenues
(IFOAM 2003). Besides plantains, which dominate Uganda's internal
market, cassava, sweet potatoes, dry beans and maize are among the
country's major crops (FAO, 14.07.2006). In general, most farms are
small-scale.
Overview of organic farming
Uganda has the most developed sector of certified organic
production in Africa. About 33,900 farmers manage 122,000 hectares
of land using organic methods, an area that accounts for 1% of
Uganda's arable land (IFOAM & FiBL, 2006). Although still small
and far below the increasing global demand, the country's export of
organic agricultural produce has been growing substantially in
recent years. In Uganda, which has one of the lowest agro-chemical
usages in Africa, the majority of farmers practice de facto organic
agriculture without being certified yet (ACODE, 2006). Since no
significant domestic market exists, certified organic agriculture
targets mainly export markets in Europe and North America.
Key organic products
Major organic export products include coffee, cotton, dried
bananas, paw paws, pineapples, passion fruits, chillies, ginger and
sesame. While traditional cash crops remain the backbone of
certified organic exports from Uganda, two sectors of particular
focus in recent years have been fresh and dried fruits and
vegetables, and - most recently - vanilla (Gibbons, 2006). The
exceptionally high growth rates in some markets reflect a
combination of factors including growing awareness of opportunities
in the sector and the availability of donor support, especially for
certification.
The network
The two key organisations making up Uganda's wider institutional
environment for organic farming are the National Organic
Agricultural Movement of Uganda (NOGAMU) and the national
certification and inspection body, UgoCert. NOGAMU was set up in
2001 as a membership organisation, which unites farmers, producers,
exporters and other stakeholders in the promotion of organic
agriculture. It represents over 35,000 farmers and works with
partner organisations throughout the country.
NOGAMU is also the owner of UgoCert, whose formation has
mitigated the impact of the worldwide rise in organic certification
costs by providing local inspectors for some international
certification bodies.
The National Organic Agriculture Movement of Uganda
(NOGAMU)
P.O. Box 70071, Clock Tower
Kampala,Uganda
Tel.: + 256 41 269415 / + 256 31 264039
Fax: + 256 31-264040
Email: admin@nogamu.org.ug
Website: www.nogamu.org
External Support
The Uganda organic agriculture sector has been receiving support
from the following external organisations amongst others:
Advocates
Coalition for Development and Environment (ACODE)
Centre for the
Promotion of Imports from Developing Countries (CBI)
Export
Promotion of Organic Production in Africa (EPOPA)
International
Federation of Organic Agriculture Movement (IFOAM)
International Trade
Centre (ITC)
Food and Agriculture
Organisation (FAO)
References
- ACODE (2006): The Status of Organic Agriculture Production in
Uganda. Advocates Coalition for Development Environment (ACODE),
Kampala.
- DIIS (2006): An Overview of the Certified Organic Export Sector
in Uganda. DIIS Working Paper no 2006/13. Danish Institute for
International Studies (DIIS), Copenhagen.
- IFOAM & FiBL (2006): The World of Organic Agriculture.
Statistics and Emerging Trends 2006. International Federation of
Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM), Bonn & Research
Institute of Organic Agriculture FiBL, Frick, pp. 27-35.
- IFOAM (2003): Organic and Like-Minded Movements in Africa.
International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM),
Bonn, pp.102-108.
- FAO, 14.07.2006: Key Statistics of Food and Agriculture
External Trade. Food and Agricultural Organization of the United
Nations (FAO), Statistics Division. URL:
www.fao.org/es/ess/toptrade/trade.asp?dir=exp&country=3&ryear=2004
and www.fao.org/es/ess/top/country.html?lang=en