Kampala – Journalists and agriculture experts have agreed on a joint plan to demystify Uganda’s sanitary and phytosanitary standards, aiming to help farmers meet export rules and keep the country’s products competitive in the EU market.
This was reached during an engagement organised by the Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences International (CABI) on Thursday at the Golden Tulip Hotel in Kampala, to sensitise the media on Uganda’s Sanitary and Phytosanitary Systems.
The meeting reviewed SPS compliance milestones and drafted a communication roadmap to raise visibility of Uganda’s trade standards at home and abroad.
SPS measures protect human, animal, and plant health while ensuring exports meet international requirements. Participants said accurate reporting is critical to explain the rules to farmers, traders, and consumers, and to safeguard Uganda’s reputation in key markets.
Speaking at the workshop, Dr Bill Okaka, the Development Communication Manager for Africa at CABI, said the purpose of the meeting was to engage the media on SPS issues, with a focus on export standards and requirements.
He emphasized that media partnerships are vital for reaching farmers and consumers in a language they understand. “The session aimed to sensitise the media on the necessary export standards and to leverage media partners to promote sanitary and phytosanitary services in Uganda,” Dr Okaka noted.
A major challenge, he explained, is communicating technical rules to farmers. “That’s why we engaged the media. They can disseminate messages through various channels, ensuring they are accessible to diverse audiences in languages they can easily understand.”
Media engagement is also key for building capacity on SPS rules for the EU market, Dr Okaka added. The initiative is part of ongoing efforts to help journalists communicate agricultural export standards more effectively.
Reporters from print, broadcast, and digital outlets worked with CABI and government experts to draft the roadmap. It includes regular SPS explainers to simplify technical terms, a data-sharing channel for trade alerts and rejections, field visits to packhouses and border posts, and coordinated campaigns ahead of global trade forums.
“Journalists shape how the public and markets perceive our standards. If we get the SPS story right, we unlock trade,” said Dr Caroline Nankinga, Project Manager for EU SPS Uganda. “This roadmap commits us to factual, proactive reporting that supports farmers and exporters.”
As part of the engagement, there was a collaborative brainstorming session which explored how to align SPS visibility with national and international commemoration events, including Agricultural Shows, Farmer Field Days, Harvest Money expos, the International Day of Plant Health, and World Food Day. Led by CABI, MAAIF, PACEID, and NARO, the session also focused on establishing robust mechanisms for monitoring, tracking, and reporting media impact to ensure consistent messaging and measurable reach.
Beyond exports, meeting SPS standards protects consumers from foodborne illnesses that can cause serious health issues, disability, or death. With the SPS Uganda project providing knowledge, infrastructure, and support, experts say public-private collaboration is crucial to unlock economic opportunities for farmers and secure access to the EU market.
About Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International (CABI)
CABI is an international, intergovernmental, not-for-profit organization that improves people’s lives worldwide by providing information and applying scientific expertise to solve problems in agriculture and the environment. The organization established by a United Nations treaty-level agreement between 48 Member Countries and is governed by the membership, an independent board.
CABI offers over a century of scientific endeavour. Since its beginnings in 1910, has developed into a truly international development-led organization, supported by both a first-class publishing division and a solid scientific research base.
About The Author
