By Julius Mugaga Tukacungurwa, Umoja Standard.
KAJJANSI, UGANDA: With capture fisheries under intensifying pressure from overfishing, pollution and climate variability, Uganda is turning to science-led aquaculture as its next growth frontier, a shift that took center stage as more than 60,000 stakeholders converged at the Aquaculture Research and Development Centre in Kajjansi from Thursday 25 June to Sunday 28 June 2026 for the Uganda Aquaculture Expo 2026.
Convened by the National Agricultural Research Organisation under the theme “Strengthening Market-Oriented Aquaculture Research for Spurred Agro-Industrialization,” the national flagship event was designed to accelerate research commercialization, unlock domestic and foreign capital, and position aquaculture as a foundational pillar of Uganda’s agro-industrialization and blue economy agenda.
The urgency is grounded in data. Aquaculture now ranks among Uganda’s fastest-growing agricultural sub-sectors, contributing 2.6 percent to national gross domestic product and 12 percent to agricultural GDP.
Over 20,000 active fish farmers and 500 hatcheries operate nationwide, and national production has risen from 15,000 metric tonnes in 2010 to 120,000 metric tonnes in 2023. Yet productivity remains constrained at 3 to 5 metric tonnes per hectare per year, well below global benchmarks.
Structural deficits continue to limit competitiveness: heavy dependence on imported feed, post-harvest losses of up to 40 percent, and restricted access to affordable finance, particularly for youth and women-led enterprises. The expo therefore functioned as more than an exhibition; it served as a national call to action to make aquaculture competitive, inclusive and resilient.
Live technology demonstrations formed the core of the program, featuring cutting-edge fish feeds formulated for tilapia and catfish, modern hatchery systems, precision water management tools, integrated cold-chain solutions to reduce post-harvest loss, and digital farm management platforms for data-driven decision making.
These were reinforced by hands-on training, expert workshops and research-driven clinics that translated scientific outputs into practical skills for farmers and agribusinesses.
Capacity building was deliberately inclusive, with dedicated enterprise zones for youth and women that combined pitching sessions, mentorship and direct linkages to capital.
Business and finance dominated the agenda as farmers and entrepreneurs engaged directly with commercial banks, insurance providers including NIC Insurance, processors and exporters to negotiate credit, risk mitigation products and market contracts.
A vibrant Fish Value Chain and Culinary Festival ran alongside the technical sessions, celebrating processing, value addition and fish cuisine from pond to plate to demonstrate commercial viability to consumers and investors.
High-level policy dialogue with the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, government regulators and development partners including the Food and Agriculture Organization, WorldFish, GIZ and diplomatic missions provided a forum to refine regulatory frameworks and investment incentives required to scale the sector.
Water quality monitoring, precision aeration and direct market linkages were identified as the three determinants of profitability for Uganda’s small and large-scale farmers over the next three years, according to Zake Olowo, Aquaculture Technical Consultant at Kajjansi Aquaculture Research Centre.
Speaking during an interview at the expo, Olowo said the exhibition is closing a critical gap where many farmers have operated without modern instrumentation essential for viable production. He emphasized practical skills for new entrants, focusing on equipment that measures pond depth, assesses water condition and determines suitability for fish culture.
Central to demonstrations were multiparameter water quality testing kits that quantify ammonia, nitrate, nitrite, pH, dissolved oxygen and conductivity, parameters that directly influence fish survival, growth rates and yields. Olowo also showcased aerators engineered to supplement dissolved oxygen beyond atmospheric diffusion and thermostatically controlled heaters for temperature regulation, technologies he noted most farmers have previously only encountered in theory.
The core insight for exhibitors and visitors, he said, is that solutions long absent from the market are now accessible and operational.
Addressing systemic constraints, Olowo observed that farmers in distant districts have historically lacked reliable extension services and have depended on intermediaries who often provide unverified technical advice.
The expo is bridging that divide by facilitating direct engagement between producers and district fisheries officers as well as certified aquaculture personnel, ensuring accurate guidance from authorized sources.
On market integration, he stated that the convergence of exhibitions, training clinics, technical sessions and the fish festival has enabled farmers, processors and buyers to establish direct commercial linkages, reducing transaction costs and dependence on middlemen.
Olowo projected that the combination of live demonstrations and technical training will shift sector perception from speculation to evidence-based practice, giving farmers demonstrable proof that aquaculture can be a profitable enterprise when managed with precision.
As the event concluded, organizers underscored that Uganda Aquaculture Expo 2026 is not an endpoint but a catalyst.
Exhibitors confided that aligning research with market demand, connecting producers to finance and technology, and embedding inclusivity into enterprise development, the expo establishes a foundation for Uganda to leverage its water resources, technical capacity and entrepreneurial energy to build a blue economy that delivers nutrition, employment and foreign exchange while withstanding climate and resource pressures in the decade ahead.
