Navigating the policy landscape in Uganda: problem representations and silences towards transitioning to Agroecology as a business

Abstract

This paper explores the application of ecological principles to enhance sustainability and resilience in agricultural systems. The aim is to analyse the policy landscape in Uganda that enables or hinders the transition to agroecological practices. Studied national policies and strategies included the: National Environment Management Policy; National Agriculture Policy; National Organic Agriculture Policy; Uganda National Grain trade policy; Uganda Vision; Uganda National Seed Strategy; Agriculture Sector Development Strategy and Investment Plan; as well as the Uganda Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan. The theoretical framework outlines the principles of agroecology, showing how these are integrated or overlooked in national policies. Through a qualitative interpretive approach and documents review, I analyse the policy documents. The analytical framework applies Carol Bacchi’s approach to policy analysis, to identify the problem representations, presuppositions that underlie the problem representations and silences within the problem representations that affect the transition to agroecological business systems. Results indicate that although the studied documents try to align agroecology principles, there are active silences such as promoting fragmented implementation which contradicts the principle of participation, failure of most of the policies and strategies to address soil health management, overlooking economic diversification and not integrating indigenous knowledge systems in sustainable land management. I conclude that it is crucial to take a comprehensive approach to policy planning and implementation that promotes agroecology as a business, while bringing about a more resilient, environmentally friendly, and economically sustainable agricultural sector in Uganda, and recommend a more inclusive policy process.