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Kampala, Uganda | JULIUS BUSINGE | Uganda’s efforts to build a more resilient agricultural sector are increasingly focusing on how sustainable farming practices can translate into higher farmer incomes, stronger domestic markets and export opportunities.
The challenge will take centre stage at two upcoming agricultural events in Kampala, where farmers, policymakers, processors and buyers are expected to explore how organic and regenerative agriculture can contribute to food security, climate resilience and economic growth.
Participatory Ecological Land Use Management (PELUM) Uganda will host the 2026 National Agroecology Week of Action from October 26–30 at Hotel Africana, bringing together more than 1,500 stakeholders to discuss links between sustainable production, policy and markets.
The gathering comes as Uganda seeks to strengthen agricultural productivity and value addition while protecting natural resources. The central policy question is whether farmers can access the financing, extension services and commercial markets needed to make sustainable agriculture economically viable.
The discussions will be followed by the fifth National Organic Week (NOW) and Organic and Nature Expo (ONE) 2026, scheduled for November 4–7 at Hotel Africana. Organised by the National Organic Agricultural Movement of Uganda (NOGAMU), the event is expected to attract 2,000 participants under the theme “Organic and Regenerative Innovations, Africa’s Competitive Edge.”
The two events reflect growing efforts to connect agricultural sustainability with commercial opportunities rather than treat environmental protection and profitability as competing objectives.
Policy meets the market
The agroecology week, organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, will examine how policy commitments can translate into practical support for farmers.
Its eighth National Agroecology Actors’ Symposium, scheduled for October 28, will focus on advancing agroecology under the Kampala Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme commitments.
The fifth Agroecological Market Systems Expo will showcase enterprises, products and innovations while creating opportunities for partnerships. It will also launch an Enterprise Readiness, Partnership Facilitation and Uptake Acceleration Assessment Report.
The market focus addresses a persistent challenge for smallholder farmers: sustainable production alone does not guarantee profitable businesses. Farmers also need reliable buyers, appropriate financing, processing facilities and distribution networks.
Edward Mukiibi, executive director of Slow Food Uganda and chairperson of the PELUM Uganda board, has argued that agroecology deserves recognition for its contribution to livelihoods, biodiversity and the preservation of Uganda’s food heritage.
The week will also feature the 16th Indigenous and Traditional Seed and Food Festival on October 29–30, highlighting traditional seeds, indigenous foods and their contribution to biodiversity, nutrition and climate resilience.
NOGAMU’s November event will place greater emphasis on the commercial potential of organic agriculture and Uganda’s position in international markets.
Charlton Namuwoza, NOGAMU’s executive director, said the Organic and Nature Expo was conceived to bring together farmers, buyers and processors from Uganda and other countries.
He said the organisation, which has operated for 25 years, wanted the expo to demonstrate Africa’s readiness to participate in global organic trade.
Uganda’s organic agriculture movement dates to 1993, while government approved the National Organic Agriculture Policy in 2019, providing a policy framework for the sector.
The challenge now is to translate that policy recognition into stronger production systems, market access and commercial opportunities for farmers and processors.
Julie Nakalanda Matovu, a NOGAMU board member and organic farmer, said Uganda needed to see more organic products available in domestic markets.
Speaking on October 16, World Food Day, she pointed to the potential of organic farming to provide resilient and safe food options, adding that technologies and the willingness to support the sector were available.
Expanding domestic demand could help farmers reduce dependence on a limited number of export buyers while creating opportunities for retailers, processors and other businesses.
However, sustained growth will require consistent supply, consumer awareness and confidence in product quality.
The economic case for organic and regenerative agriculture rests partly on whether farmers can improve their resilience to changing weather conditions while securing dependable returns.
For policymakers, this requires coordinated action across agricultural research, extension services, trade promotion, financing and value addition. Farmers adopting sustainable practices need practical guidance and commercial incentives, while processors and exporters require dependable supplies that meet market requirements.
Women and young people are expected to feature prominently in the agroecology discussions, particularly around enterprise development and market participation.
PELUM Uganda country coordinator Josephine Akia Luyimbazi said the objective was to move beyond dialogue towards commitments linking farmers’ innovations with policy action, partnerships and market opportunities.
The two events will provide platforms to examine these issues, but their wider significance will depend on what follows. Stronger collaboration between government, farmers and businesses could help turn sustainable agriculture into a source of competitive enterprises, improved rural incomes and more resilient food systems.
