By Ben Musanje
Buganda sub-region has emerged as Uganda’s leading hub for aquaculture, according to new findings released by the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS), underscoring the kingdom’s growing dominance in fish farming and its potential to drive food security and economic growth.
Presenting the results of the Uganda Aquaculture Census 2025 at Statistics House on April 30, UBOS statistician Flavia Oumo said the comprehensive nationwide exercise revealed significant regional disparities, with Buganda topping all others in the number of aquaculture farms.
The census, which covered the reference period from July 2024 to June 2025, recorded a total of 9,463 aquaculture farms across Uganda. Of these, Buganda accounted for 1,250 farms—representing 13.4 percent of the national total—making it the single largest contributor to the country’s aquaculture sector.
“The main objective was to generate data on the structure of the aquaculture sector and production levels,” Oumo explained, noting that the exercise also sought to establish the number of farms, types of facilities, production methods, and access to extension services.
Aquaculture, defined as the farming of aquatic organisms such as fish under controlled or semi-controlled conditions, has increasingly become a critical component of Uganda’s agricultural transformation. The census focused primarily on fish farming, excluding ornamental fish, and examined both water-based systems—such as cages in lakes and rivers—and land-based systems like ponds and tanks.
Buganda’s dominance is further highlighted by district-level data, with Mukono District registering the highest number of aquaculture farms in the sub-region at 161. In contrast, Nakasongola District recorded just 10 farms, pointing to uneven distribution even within the leading region. Kampala, which is geographically within Buganda, had only 20 farms, reflecting the limitations of urban aquaculture.
Nationally, rural areas continue to dominate fish farming, with 6,408 farms compared to 3,055 in urban settings. This trend underscores aquaculture’s importance as a rural livelihood activity, providing income and nutrition to thousands of households.
Beyond Buganda, other sub-regions also posted notable figures. Busoga recorded 1,038 farms, while Ankole had 973. Toro and Teso followed with 904 and 809 farms respectively, indicating a broad but uneven spread of aquaculture activities across the country.
However, some regions lagged significantly behind. Karamoja had only 39 farms, while Sebei recorded just 49. These disparities point to potential gaps in infrastructure, access to water resources, technical knowledge, and investment.
The census also shed light on the nature of aquaculture production in Uganda. An overwhelming 97.1 percent of farms—9,190 in total—were classified as grow-out farms, where fish are raised from juvenile stages to market size. Only 0.8 percent (73 farms) were hatcheries specializing in breeding and early-stage fish production, while 2.1 percent combined both functions.
This imbalance suggests a heavy reliance on limited hatchery capacity, which could constrain the availability of quality fish seed and ultimately affect productivity across the sector.
Oumo emphasized that the census followed a rigorous methodology involving nationwide coverage, stakeholder consultations, and extensive validation processes. Enumerators were deployed across the country after undergoing training alongside district fisheries officers and supervisors. Data collection took place between May and June 2025, followed by months of processing and analysis.
“Our major stakeholder was the Ministry of Agriculture and its agencies, given their responsibility in the sector,” she noted, adding that the collaborative approach ensured credibility and accuracy of the findings.
The release of the report is expected to guide policymakers, investors, and development partners in making informed decisions to strengthen Uganda’s aquaculture industry. With Buganda already setting the pace, experts say targeted investments in underperforming regions could unlock significant growth potential.
As demand for fish continues to rise both locally and internationally, the findings position aquaculture as a strategic sector for Uganda’s economic diversification. Buganda’s leadership, backed by relatively better access to markets, infrastructure, and extension services, offers a model that could be replicated elsewhere.
The challenge now lies in bridging regional gaps, expanding hatchery capacity, and enhancing technical support to farmers—steps that could transform aquaculture into a nationwide engine for sustainable development. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
