OILseeds Uganda – Organic and Inclusive Linkages

Uganda has huge potential for organic agricultural production. In 2020, the country launched a national organic agriculture policy. The oilseeds industry is a high priority, as it can potentially reduce poverty in the northern and northeastern regions of the country.

Organic oilseed production in Uganda provides opportunities for improving smallholder livelihoods. Still, smallholders' incomes remain low. Fragmentation of the agricultural value chain is one reason for this. Limited vertical integration, access to inputs, and poor market opportunities are some of the most important challenges.

Project goals

The project OILseeds Uganda – promoting Organic and Inclusive Linkages within the oilseeds sector in Uganda aims to contribute to a socially, environmentally and economically sustainable organic oilseeds sector in Uganda. The goal is fair value distribution and opportunities for all stakeholders. The project also aims to create a more inclusive oilseeds sector for farmer households. This should result in increased income and a fair and transparent connection to the market.

To achieve these goals, the project will focus on 3 areas:

1. Improved vertical integration
   • Improving linkages between smallholders and other market actors;
   • Promoting a more inclusive and transparent value chain; and
   • Ensuring smallholders benefit more from the production of organic oilseeds.
2. Promoting organic (oilseed) agriculture
   • Promoting the adoption of organic agricultural practices;
   • Ensuring produce meets organic market requirements; and
   • Linking organic market actors and service providers.
3. More effective and adequate service delivery
   • Developing market-driven services that suit the needs of actors in the organic oilseeds sector.

Participants

This project is currently in the inception phase. Project participants include:

• (Organic) oilseed producers (farmers/cooperatives)
• Ugandan oilseed exporting small and medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs);
• Business support organisations in the sector;
• European Union (EU) importers;
• Organic oilseeds sector associations;
• Knowledge institutes, NGOs and institutional actors.
   

Activities 

The inception phase of this project started in 2023. In this phase, we further designed and validated activities in collaboration with essential sector stakeholders. In May 2024, we organised a project kick-off. The implementation phase is starting in the coming months, marking the start of the project's remaining 4 years.

During the inception phase, we will further:

• develop and validate the activities;
• map the organic oilseeds market system. This involves mapping actors, existing initiatives and innovations, and service delivery models;
• research available export business development services, organic production, the side-effects of commercialisation, gender and social inclusion, and the potential for regional trade;
• identify and engage partners, including EU importers and farmer groups; 
• identify the enabling environment, including organic networks/platforms, farmer associations, financial institutes, service providers, certification bodies and universities.

Interested?

 Are you interested in collaborating with us or do you have any questions about the project? Email us at agriculture@cbi.eu.