By Leonard Kamugisha Akida,
KAMPALA
Over 1,500 stakeholders are expected to participate in the Participatory Ecological Land Use Management (PELUM) Uganda Agroecology Week of Action (AWA) 2025 in Kampala.
The revelation was made by the PELUM Board Chairperson, Christopher Kyesswa, during a press briefing on Monday.
The week-long event, which kicked off on Monday, October 27, 2025, will run until Friday, October 31, 2025, at Hotel Africana, Kampala.
Kyesswa said the participants will include academia, researchers, policymakers, civil society organizations, financial institutions, and actors from both government and the private sector.
According to PELUM, the Agroecology Week of Action aims to provide an inclusive platform for diverse actors to scale up, scale out, and scale deep agroecology in Uganda.
“Agroecology is a holistic and integrated approach that applies ecological and social concepts and principles to the design and management of sustainable agriculture and food systems,” said Kyesswa.
He added that the week provides an opportunity to mobilize and persuade more actors to embrace the agroecological path by demonstrating the interconnected nature of food systems.
Among the key activities will be the National Agroecology Actors Symposium (NAAS) on Tuesday, October 28, the 4th Agroecological Market Systems Expo on Wednesday, October 29, and the 15th Annual Indigenous and Traditional Food and Seed Fair from Thursday, October 30 to Friday, October 31.
PELUM official Eric Kizigo said over 200 exhibitors from different parts of the country will showcase indigenous foods grown in their regions.
“We will also have a side event on what we call ‘opportunity crops’, formerly referred to as neglected and underutilized plant species. We are now calling them opportunity crops because of the immense benefits derived from them,” Kizito explained. “The session will highlight the work done by our partners and showcase progress in promoting these species,” he added.
Kizito further noted that the event will also recognize and award outstanding farmers across the country.
Moses Onen, the Manager in charge of Advocacy Programs at PELUM Uganda, said the Agroecology Week provides a platform for different actors to showcase innovations, share experiences, brainstorm, and discuss policy issues aimed at creating an enabling environment for scaling up agroecology.
“This is not just an event but a critical policy engagement space where every actor in the agroecology ecosystem can share their contributions toward Uganda’s national agenda of deepening and scaling out agroecology,” Onen said.
The 2025 Agroecology Week also coincides with PELUM Uganda’s 30th anniversary celebrations. Established in 1995, PELUM will mark three decades of promoting agroecology among its 75 member organizations and farming communities. The celebration will be held on Friday, October 31, 2025, at Hotel Africana, Kampala.
PELUM Uganda Country Coordinator, Josephine Akia, said the anniversary will highlight the organization’s achievements and impact.
“We will be showcasing some of the work done among our member organizations and the farming communities we serve,” Akia said. “PELUM has improved the livelihoods of farmers through increased incomes, enhanced quality standards, and consumer awareness under our campaign ‘Know What You Eat,’ which promotes the consumption of agroecological products.”
The 2025 Agroecology Week is being held under the theme:
“Championing Agroecological Innovations and Approaches for Sustainable Food Systems.”
The Queen Mother of Buganda Kingdom, Her Royal Highness Sylvia Nagginda Luswata, is expected to officiate at the celebration of PELUM Uganda’s 30th anniversary.
