Uganda

The country has an extensive micro-, small and medium-sized enterprise (MSME) sector consisting of about 1,100,000 enterprises that employ approximately 2.5 million people, equivalent to 90% of all non-agricultural private sector workers. The sector accounts for 75% of Uganda’s gross domestic product.

The following areas have been identified as entry points for the introduction of sustainable consumption and production practices in the priority sectors:

  • Capacity-building for key institutions to foster the adoption of sustainable consumption and production practices;
  • Development and provision of specific technical services and toolkits on issues related to sustainable consumption and production;
  • Promotion of the development, adoption and equitable transfer of environmentally sound technologies;
  • Financing mechanisms that foster investment in eco-innovation, thus creating new trade opportunities in domestic and international markets.

In the tourism sector, green business development activities include training in sustainable tourism and sustainable consumption and production practices, development of local capacity to install, operate and maintain renewable energy technologies to support energy efficiency, pollution reduction in hotels and support for integrated waste management in hotels.

The MSMEs involved in SWITCH Africa Green projects in Uganda benefit from technical advice on eco-innovation and aspects of sustainable consumption and production, such as resource efficiency, integrated waste management, energy efficiency and industrial symbiosis, as well as general business advice on management, including financial management.

Projects

Ongoing Agriculture
Enhancing Africa’s green economy through eco-geographical indication for coffee

In Uganda, the coffee sector plays a major role in the national economy. It is the main source of income for an estimated 1.7 million smallholder families and a major contributor to gross domestic product and export earnings. Arabica coffee farming is seen as a promising opportunity to enhance the economic prosperity of the region and support its social stability.

Completed Agriculture
Promoting eco-entrepreneurship in Africa

The greatest challenges facing eco-enterprises are a lack of access to knowledge, networks, financing and high-quality business development services and poor enabling conditions, including a shortage of skilled people at the community level.

Completed Agriculture
Eco-agriculture - livelihoods from sesame and organic, green business opportunities for young rural people

In Uganda’s northern region, about 80% of the population is unemployed or under-employed in the informal economy, and generally fully occupied with subsistence agriculture.

Completed Integrated Waste Management
Upscaling the generation, commercialization and use of biomass waste-based green energy sources in Uganda

The by-products and waste streams of agricultural processes are currently not widely utilized. This project is aimed at fostering the use of biomass technologies to turn such agricultural by-products and waste into feedstock or fuel, as a means of adding value to farm produce and increasing farmers’ incomes.

Completed Manufacturing
Enhancing the resource productivity and environmental performance of MSMEs in 6 African countries through the concept of industrial symbiosis

The problem of the collection, management and disposal of waste continues to feature prominently in major towns and cities across African countries. This has led to contamination of water bodies and to the spread of waterborne diseases and other health hazards.

Completed Manufacturing
Promoting sustainable product innovation and energy-efficient practices among small-scale industries in Uganda

Micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) account for a sizeable share of Ugandan industry and contribute substantially to the country’s economic development. They are a vehicle through which the rural poor and informally employed Ugandans can transform themselves into the middle and industrial classes of tomorrow.

Completed Manufacturing
Demand-side management of energy use in micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in Uganda through the promotion of energy-efficient techniques and practices

In Uganda, the demand for energy has increased significantly due to economic growth and development, improved standards of living, growing populations and, in particular, accelerating industrial growth. The manufacturing sector uses large amounts of energy to support its production processes and other operations.

Ongoing Tourism
Greening the tourism sector in Uganda

The Government of Uganda, in its strategic development plan, Uganda Vision 2040, has recognized the tourism sector as the mainstay of the country’s transformation from a predominantly agrarian, lower-income society to a modern, prosperous and competitive upper middle-income one. The tourism industry accounted for 5.2% of gross domestic product and 14.6% of total employment in 2016.

Completed Tourism
Promoting inclusive green business practices in the tourism sector

When it comes to nature tourism, Uganda has a comparative advantage, but protecting its resource base is critical. For tourist accommodations, an environmentally sound operation is increasingly important, both from an operational point of view – lower costs and security of supply – and from a marketing perspective.

SWITCH-Africa Green Programme is implemented by the United Nations Environment Programme with the financial support of the European Union. The contents of this website are the sole responsibility of the project partners and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.

© United Nations Environment Programme