JINJA – The 32nd National Agricultural Show opened in Jinja with a major push to get more Ugandan produce into premium European markets, as government and development partners showcased new pest control methods to stop crop interceptions at EU borders.
Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja officially opened the exhibition, which brought together farmers, exporters, regulators and partners to demonstrate solutions for crop health and market access.
€8 Million to fix ‘rejection’ challenges
Dr Caroline Nankinga, the EU SPS Project Manager, said the European Union has supported the project with about €8 million to work with stakeholders on the ground and tackle the main causes of interceptions of Ugandan produce in the EU market.
“We are here at this agriculture show to show the type of interventions we are putting in place to manage exactly that,” Dr Nankinga said.
The EU SPS project has six outputs. Key among them is strengthening national laboratories to test for pesticide residues so exports are not rejected, aligning national legislation with EU rules, and pushing farmers and exporters to adopt voluntary private standards like GlobalGAP to access premium markets.
“We are encouraging farmers and exporters to make sure they are GlobalGAP-certified, so that they can access premium markets,” she noted.
The project is also working directly with farmers growing the priority crops: capsicum, garden egg, mango, avocado and okra. The focus pests are fruit flies and the false codling moth (FCM).
Nankinga demonstrated the threat using an avocado damaged by FCM. “When you find even a single larva of this FCM in avocado, it will lead to a consignment being canceled or rejected at the international market,” she said.
To respond, the project, together with the umbrella body of exporters and the Ministry of Agriculture, has introduced area-wide suppression trapping. Farmers in Bwendero, Biyinzika, and Butikiro, among others, are being trained to deploy FCM traps to suppress pest populations before harvest.
Ministry: From spraying to smart, area-wide management
Emmanuel John Namasa, Agriculture Inspector in the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries’ Department of Inspection and Certification, said MAAIF is implementing the project together with CABI.
“One of the key outputs is ensuring crop production for local and export markets meets requirements for pest freedom,” Namasa said. Pests listed include FCM and multiple fruit fly species that attack avocados, peppers and eggplants.
He noted that indiscriminate spraying is creating new risks. “A farmer just goes to a shop, picks a chemical because they want to fight the pests. But now we are saying, if we work through this project focusing on IPM area-wide pest management, it helps us to monitor population dynamics so farmers use chemicals only when needed.”
The approach, he said, reduces unnecessary chemical use, lowers pesticide residues, and can lead to the creation of ‘places of production’ with low pest prevalence a key requirement for export.
The Ministry is also showcasing biological control. Namasa cited the biocontrol agent deployed against papaya mealybug in Kayunga and Luwero, and the agent for mango mealybug first detected in 2021 in Tungu. “The biological control that the ministry deployed has helped to reduce this pest, so farmers are now able to produce. The yields are increasing, the fruits are cleaner and safer for consumption,” he said.
At the show, the Ministry is distributing information materials on pest management and safe chemical use to teach farmers how to achieve low pest pressure with minimal chemicals.
Hortifresh is equipping the packhouse to boost trade
The project is also supporting the private sector through HortiFresh Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Association to equip a standard packhouse at the Centre of Excellence in the Entebbe Airport Free Zone.
Gilbert Tugumizamu, working with the HortiFresh Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Association, said the association coordinates farmers and exporters to ensure produce meets market sanitary standards.
“We work with exporters, farmers, and the Ministry of Agriculture to ensure that what the farmers are growing and what the buyers want comply with the sanitary standards of the market,” Tugumizamu said.
Under the project, HortiFresh and CABI support farmers to ensure capsicum, garden egg, mangoes and avocados are free from pests and tested. “We deal with farmers and exporters directly, but much emphasis is on the exporters, because with 1,000 farmers and maybe 300 exporters, the ratios are big. The exporter is the person dealing with most of the produce,” he said.
The 32nd National Agricultural Show continues to run in Jinja, with a focus on technologies, new products, and practical information to help farmers produce export-ready crops.
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