Harnessing multi-stakeholder innovation platforms for knowledge transfer and aquaculture value chain development in Uganda

Abstract

Aquaculture supplies 22% of Uganda's fish production but is held back by poor access to extension, inputs, post-harvest facilities and markets, and by disease and weak value-chain coordination. The project surveyed aquaculture stakeholders across Uganda's nine agro-ecological zones and set up nine zonal innovation platforms and one national platform linking farmers, hatchery operators, traders, extension workers, researchers, input suppliers, local leaders and financial institutions. Farmers ranked high feed cost and poor feed quality as their main constraint; extension officers cited under-funding, and financial institutions cited poor farm records. The brief recommends standardized record-keeping tools promoted by MAAIF, public–private partnerships for extension and research, training on quality feed and fingerling production (including black soldier fly as a fishmeal substitute), and farmer awareness through extension and social networks.