Uganda

Seed sector in Uganda

The Ugandan government is responsible for developing research capacity, while the private sector carries out seed production, seed conditioning and marketing. The government also heads up the creation of an enabling environment and oversees regulations.

The National Agricultural System Act (2005), Seeds and Plant Act (2006) and Plant Variety Protection Act (2014) are in place and operational. The Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, through the Directorate of Crop Production, is the official focal point mandated to regulate the seed industry, with the National Seed Certification Services responsible for seed certification.

The Seeds and Plant Act is the principal legislation for the seed industry. The government regulates the official release of new varieties, licensing and oversight of seed merchant activities, especially regulating importing/exporting seeds, quality assurance in seed production, seed conditioning and local seed trade, and overall regulatory framework implementation.

Local seed companies have basic and certified seed production activities on-farm or with seed growers. Major seed selling outlets are facilitated by the government, agro-dealer distribution networks and non-governmental organizations operating in the region.

To ensure safe development and application of biotechnology in Uganda, the parliament recently passed the Genetic Engineering Regulatory Bill 2018.

Observations

There are 21 index companies in Uganda, four of which (Equator Seeds, FICA Seeds, NASECO and Victoria Seeds) are headquartered in the country. Only FICA Seeds and East African Seed have the complete seed value chain in Uganda. Equator Seeds and Victoria Seeds lack breeding locations.

Five companies produce seeds in the country, and four of these involve smallholder farmers in their activities. Three companies have breeding locations, and five have processing locations in the country.

Seed production, breeding and processing are carried out by the companies headquartered in the region. No globally active companies carry out these activities in the country.

Nine companies provide extension services in Uganda, and these are predominantly regional companies. Bejo and East-West Seed are the only globally active companies to do so.