KAMPALA – The Government of Uganda on Wednesday signed a Host Country Agreement with the Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences International (CABI), signaling a shift from project-based agricultural aid to a permanent, systemic presence of the global science body in the country.
The agreement, signed by Foreign Affairs Minister Abubakhar Jeje Odongo, allows CABI to establish a full Country Office in the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area.
The move comes as Uganda faces increasing pressure to standardize its agricultural exports to meet rigorous international phytosanitary requirements.
“This partnership is crucial in addressing key challenges within Uganda’s agricultural value chain,” Minister Odongo said during the ceremony.
Uganda has been a member of CABI since 1995, but the new legal status allows the organization to work more closely with the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO) to boost productivity and trade.
Agricultural analysts note that the permanent presence of CABI could be a “game-changer” for Uganda’s coffee and horticultural sectors, which have recently faced hurdles in European and Middle Eastern markets due to pests and chemical residue concerns.
