During the 30th Uganda National Agriculture Show, PELUM Uganda organized the 3rd Convening of Agroecological Entrepreneurs (AAEs) and Territorial Market (TM) Actors where Slow Food Uganda actively participated. This convening brought together different agroecological actors and entrepreneurs under the PELUM Umbrella to showcase and brainstorm on advancing Agroecological Entrepreneurship and Synergies for Sustainable Market Development.
Several farmers including those from Slow Food Uganda showcased their value-added and raw agroecological products. Also, they participated in interactive discussions on the preservation, promotion, and potential of indigenous foods in enhancing food security in the country. They also provided hands-on training and insights to the visitors who approached their tent on sustainable agroecology practices.
During the interactive dialogue session at the 3rd Convening of Agroecological Entrepreneurs and Territorial Market Actors inside the agriculture show, Edward Mukiibi the Executive Director of Slow Food Uganda and the Deputy Board Chairperson of PELUM Uganda, in his opening remarks, emphasized the pivotal role of regenerating soil health to enhance food production. He also proposed the development of a participatory Guarantee System (PGS) mark to monitor production standards and called on civil society organizations (CSOs) to collaborate in supporting farmers to achieve these standards.
“We can jointly develop a PGS mark which can help to monitor the standards of our products at all levels. This could be a valuable tool for maintaining quality and consistency”. Edward Mukiibi calling upon CSOs to pool resources to support farmers to standard marks. His speech underscored the importance of sustainable agricultural practices in improving soil health and ensuring a resilient food system.
Responding to the comprehensive standards on agroecological products, John Kiwagalo, the Head of Programs at Slow Food Uganda underscored a critical aspect of agroecological entrepreneurship saying that standards are about more than quality. In this case, Kiwagalo advised agroecological entrepreneurs to also focus on establishing clear price standards to attract buyers and ensure market success. Kiwagalo also advised Entrepreneurs to always be ready for the market continuously, rather than waiting for exhibitions and fairs to package their products emphasizing that by maintaining readiness and implementing consistent pricing strategies, entrepreneurs can better position themselves for success in a competitive market especially when it comes to agroecological products.
The event served as a platform for discussing innovative agroecological practices and fostering collaboration among entrepreneurs and market actors. Slow Food Uganda’s participation demonstrated the commitment to advancing agroecology.
