In Uganda, the project is focusing on the Irish potato value chain. As in Rwanda, potato is both a subsistence and commercial crop. Uganda is the 3rd largest producer of potatoes in East Africa after Rwanda and Kenya, and its higher altitude areas are well placed to benefit from growing demand for potato products in the region. There is a general positive trend in production of potato due to slight growth in acreage and yield, but productivity is still lower than potential yields.

Due to growing demand, potato has been identified by the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) in its Development Strategy and Investment Plan as a priority crop for strategic intervention.

Lack of access to quality seed potatoes is a major bottleneck to increased production. Rwanda and Uganda are in the process of adopting new seed policies. Because of regular cross-border trade in both ware and seed potatoes in East Africa, the project is taking a regional approach to policy alignment for Uganda’s seed system.

A project inception workshop was carried out in Kampala, setting the course for the project’s activities and bringing together key stakeholders in the Irish potato value chain in Uganda, including senior managers from Government institutions, development partners, research institutes, NGOs, the private sector, financial institutions and farmer organizations.

The project is supporting policymakers and institutions important to the sector.

• Aligning national and regional strategies with the development of improved regional market integration for the potato sector. 
• Supporting the establishment of an inter-ministerial working group for policy coordination. Building on district platforms and clusters to facilitate the establishment of a national multi-stakeholder potato platform.

The project is focusing on developing inclusive business models throughout the potato value chain:

• Conducting diagnostic mapping of the biggest buyers of fresh and processed Irish potatoes. Appraising business models between buyers and suppliers, including business organizational structure, procurement, operations and finance, logistics mechanisms, marketing and sales, etc.
• Identifying the FOs, SMEs and intermediary traders supplying the buyers. Capacity building for producer organizations and SMEs in value addition and business management.
• Training of farmer organizations and SMEs in business management skills, processing and logistics with specific attention to the management of contract farming/outgrower schemes. Guidance will be developed for SMEs on business practices that facilitate procurement from smallholders - for example the use of transparent weighing using standard weights, grading and pricing mechanisms, and the organization of collection centres.

Sustainable market-led production intensification is a major area of the project.

• Training through a FFS programme on positive selection techniques and storage of potato followed by the linking of farmer groups to local seed producers who receive training on seed production.
• Working with the International Potato Centre (CIP) to provide training to National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO) staff on the development and dissemination of disease-free planting materials and to improve the link between research services and seed producers, including an assessment of necessary investments in seed stores and transport capacity to ensure the distribution of foundation seed to seed producers.

The project is working to strengthen access to financial services and climate change risk management tools.

• Training financial service providers on value chain finance approaches suitable for potato value chain actors.
• Working with the Uganda Investment Authority related to developing opportunities for investment in the potato sector.
• Working with Meteorology Department of the Ministry of Water and Environment and other partners to analyse the extent climate variability causes inter-annual production variability and price fluctuations. Paying particular attention to the effect of droughts and heavy rains on the Irish potato value chain.
• Developing location-specific risk management strategies.