Potential for enhancing and sustaining commercial aquaculture in Uganda: Producer organizations, contract farming schemes and public-private partnerships

Abstract

In 1990s, government of Uganda started promoting commercial aquaculture. Consequently, aquaculture production increased from about 2,300 tons in 2002 to 120,000 tons by 2018. As human population in Uganda is increasing at a rate of 3% per year, the annual demand for fish for human consumption and trade is projected to increase from the present 870,000 tons to 1,700,000 tons by 2025. The government therefore postulates aquaculture to supply 1,000,000 tons annually, with 700,000 tons obtained from capture fisheries. However, the aquaculture sector is not well organized to boost fish production and marketing unlike agricultural commodities like sunflower, rice and sugarcane whereby farmers are part of producer organizations, contract farming schemes and public-private partnerships which have improved crop productivity, profitability and market access. This review examines producer organizations, contract farming schemes and private-public partnerships in the agricultural sector in Uganda and their potential contribution in improving and sustaining commercial aquaculture.