For some time now, amidst the definitive push to drive Uganda’s economic fortunes in a more personal way that speaks to the individual citizen, the fisheries and sugar sectors have grappled with challenges that threatened to topple them over, risking the livelihoods of numerous people and shrinking the country’s foreign exchange and tax bases. Stories of dwindling returns, biting poverty; diminishing fish stocks, clashes on the lakes between fishermen and security forces enforcing best practices and a fast declining lake ecological system have made their way to the public and into executive forums.
Busoga sub-region has been most affected by the instability in these two sectors, being home to some of the largest sugar plantations and factories in the country, and with many of its people engaged in finishing on Lake Victoria with which it has a large shoreline.
Last Tuesday, August 5, President Yoweri Museveni held a consultative meeting with the fishing communities from across Uganda and fisheries stakeholders at State Lodge, Jinja.
The meeting was a significant turning point in efforts to streamline Uganda’s fishing sector, boost the livelihoods of indigenous fishing communities, and sustainably manage aquatic resources.
The central point of discussion was the role of the army in regulating fishing practices and protecting fish breeding grounds from illegal activities, cross-border invasions, and unregulated exploitation. In the meeting, it was resolved that indigenous fishermen should take the lead in protecting the lake(s), while the Fisheries Protection Unit (FPU) would mainly focus on securing border waters by backing people who are into legal fishing. In short, power to manage the lakes will be in the hands of the indigenous fishing communities (abavubi) that have historical links to the sector.
Under the arrangement, the indigenous fishermen would form committees (to lead them) and manage their activities. These fisherfolk are known to one another and can easily identify rightful members of the community to weed out strangers with ulterior interests harmful to the sector and national security.
They will also form SACCOs which the President promised to support with Shs1billion for each SACCO to boost their business. This money will enable poor fishermen to acquire their own boats and fishing gear. Such fishermen have been relying on exploitative rich bosses for boats, which factor would put pressure on them to overfish in order to meet their financial targets in an already strained sector. The ministry responsible for Fisheries should assist in establishing these committees and ensuring that the support from Government goes to the rightful beneficiaries who will in turn help in implementing best practices identified in discussions and revamping the sector.
These committees must not be politicised and should be strictly composed of participants in the sector’s chain of business. Since the major water bodies of Uganda are shared with neighbouring countries, Uganda must liaise with Kenya and Tanzania (for Lake Victoria) and DR Congo (for Lake Albert and Lake George) for adoption of common best practices, and better management of the lakes and fishing activities.
One of the biggest problems that has harmed Uganda’s lakes, and fisheries industry in particular, is “overcrowding”, leading to overfishing. According to records from Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), about one million Ugandans are engaged in the “capture fisheries” while a total of five million are engaged in the fish value chain. This is a big capture population explosion from past decades when figures were about 150, 000.
Yet the water bodies are not expanding. The result is a do-or-die competition for the static resource and depleting stocks while endangering the delicate ecology of the lakes. These resources were handed down to us by past generations and like the land resources (soils, wetlands, forests), they must be safeguarded for future generations. The indigenous fishing communities should take fishing as a cultural heritage and preserve the industry from collapse as had nearly occurred with many players going out of business.
Using illegal gear (small nets) to catch immature fish caused a lot of damage both to the stocks and quality of fish available for consumption. This is what necessitated bringing security organs on the lakes to deal with this problem whose consequences were predictable. It’s not always necessary to use force if people could appreciate the logic in using resources optimally.
However, unscrupulous “scavengers” and outsiders to the sector had introduced unnecessary pressure necessitating state intervention to “liberate” the business from wrong hands.
In the meeting, also attended by senior leaders and different categories of stakeholders, President Museveni emphasized preserving fish breeding grounds (byondo) and gazetting lake shores and swamps, vital for fish reproduction.
Others measures proposed at the meeting including forming a Lake Safety Unit, preserving of nature to deal with the issue of floating islands/plants which consume oxygen on the lake. He also resolved to organize skills development centers for youths in fishing communities and develop domestic fish farming projects to reduce pressure on natural lakes (and rivers), and create employment. He also directed the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries to expedite regulations to streamline the fishing sector.
Then on Wednesday, August 7, President Museveni had a meeting with sugarcane growers, millers, and sugar manufacturers from across Uganda at Kityerera State Lodge, Mayuge. During the meeting, the President announced that the government will purchase the Mayuge Sugar Factory for Busoga sugarcane farmers. The new ownership model is expected to bring fairness in the sugar industry and ensure that profits return directly to the farmers who have been depending on unfair prices set by rich factory owners.
The President, once again, advised that sugarcane growing should be only done on a large scale and, in any case, not for those with less than two acres of land, and that smallholder farmers should go into intensive agriculture which is more profitable as with Mr. Richard Nyakana of Kabarole and Mr. Joseph Ijara of Serere.
He recommended the four acres model which includes growing food crops, coffee, pasture, and engaging in livestock, poultry, fish farming, or piggery.
Government will provide fertilisers and tractors to the sugarcane farmers on an agreed arrangement. He also directed the Minister for Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, Francis Mwebesa, to ensure that the Sugar Council is established in accordance with the Sugarcane (Amendment) Act, 2023.
With the President’s backing, involvement of other leaders and commitment of the fishing communities and sugarcane farmers to the best practices identified and with better policies in place, the two sectors will be liberated to regain their place among sectors making the biggest contribution to the economic prosperity of Ugandans, individually and collectively.
At Kityerera, the President also met with the families of his deceased FRONASA comrades killed by the Amin regime such as Eng. Samuel Kasadha. He pledged to transform Kityerera into a model village in memory of his comrades and their contribution to the struggle for a free Uganda.
The author is the Special Presidential Assistant-Press & Mobilisation/Deputy Spokesperson
Email: faruk.kirunda@statehouse.go.ug
0776980486/0783990861
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