By Juma Nsubuga
The Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), in partnership with the Government of Germany through GIZ, is supporting the Global Programme – Sustainable Aquatic Food to strengthen Uganda’s aquaculture sector.
The programme supports small-scale fish farmers, private sector actors and public institutions to build a more productive, climate-smart and inclusive aquaculture industry that contributes to Uganda’s National Development Plan IV, Vision 2040 and the Presidential Agro-Industrialisation Initiative.
MAAIF is working with stakeholders across the aquaculture value chain to improve productivity, strengthen market linkages, promote sustainable production practices and expand economic opportunities for farming communities.
The programme also supports institutional capacity and innovation to help build a resilient and competitive aquaculture sector.
GIZ complements MAAIF’s broader efforts to transform Uganda’s agricultural sector by promoting sustainable food systems, improving livelihoods, creating employment and strengthening national food and nutrition security.
State Minister Fisheries Robert Migadde Ndugwa during an engagement with GIZ at Nyonyi gardens in Kololo, thanked GIZ for this initiative.
“This is a good programme because it will help our lake to have breathing space” the minister said and called for heightened sensitization campaign targeting mainly the fishing communities who are used to capture fisheries. He encouraged Ugandans to venture into Aquaculture which is the best option to develop the fisheries sector.
Meanwhile, the Chief Executive Officer of Uganda Fish processors and Exporters Association (UFPEA), William Tibyasa noted that Aquaculture will support food security and employment creation for wealth creation.
“We are looking at developing commercial Aquaculture that is going to create food security and employment since we are involving grassroot stakeholders into Aquaculture main stream” Tibyasa said
GIZ rural development programmes officer, Fernando Myriam revealed that the entity is working closely with small scale farmers to strengthen their productivity and competitiveness.
“With Uganda’s growing access to European Union markets for Agricultural products, we see considerable opportunities which reflected in the ministry’s increased engagement ” she said
She explained that GIZ’s priority is to help small scale farmers to increase production to the point where they have a surplus beyond household consumption.
