All hands on deck to solve chemical and waste management issues in Uganda

Between 2019 and 2020, countries in the Horn of Africa faced the worst desert locust infestation in over 25 years.[1] Uganda, a country of almost 46 million people, was one of the worst hit. Starting from Karamoja, a subregion in Uganda already facing food insecurity, the pests devoured crops while slowing the daily activities of thousands of people.[2] Unfortunately, Uganda would soon face another crisis affecting its food security and thus its economic stability: the global coronavirus pandemic.

Agriculture has been at the heart of Uganda’s rapid economic growth, contributing approximately 24 percent of the country’s gross domestic product in 2021/2022.[3] The richly fertile land of Uganda grows one of the world’s favourite coffee varieties, Robusta. Cotton, tea, and tobacco are other major exports.[4] The landlocked country is also home to Lake Victoria, the continent’s largest freshwater lake. Uganda’s wide range of animals, including chimpanzees, mountain gorillas, and rare bird species, add to the country’s biodiversity.

Locus infestation poses a major threat to any country’s agriculture and biodiversity—and by extension, its people and economy. Uganda’s chemical response to the 2019 and 2020 infestation, while well-intended, showed that the country needed to further improve its ability to safely manage chemicals and waste. Past projects, including recent ones funded by UNEP,[5] have helped lay the groundwork for this effort, but the government has noted the clear need for additional capacity strengthening.

In response to this need, the government of Uganda, through the Ministry of Water and Environment, has partnered with the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) Chemicals and Waste Management Programme. During a 3-year project, Uganda will strengthen its national capacity to implement control procedures under the Rotterdam, Basel, Stockholm, and Minamata Conventions—all related to chemicals and waste management. The project’s objectives will help close gaps identified within the country’s National Chemicals Profile, which was updated in early 2021. 

The first objective is to prepare tools for the sound management of chemicals and waste. While the country has put measures in place to address emerging issues such as climate change and plastic waste, this partnership augments the government’s priorities to include the development of tools and guidelines to effectively manage chemicals and waste. Large and small businesses that use or sell industrial chemicals are central to this plan, with the guidelines aiming to help them self-regulate and increase their level of compliance to environmental laws.

At the local government level, which is often the last point of disposal of these chemicals, the project will improve their ability to monitor compliance among the different chemical importers, exporters, and users of chemicals. The project will further develop guidelines for chemicals risk assessment and risk reduction to be used by people or entities handling chemicals across their life cycle.  

As another objective, the project will institute the National Multi-sectoral Technical Committee on Sound Management of Chemicals and Waste. This committee will play an advisory role in the project and guide all stakeholders. Through bringing in relevant stakeholders to bolster the project—including government ministries and agencies, civil service organizations, and academia—there will be more opportunities for improved information sharing, coordination, and monitoring regarding chemicals management.

Finally, to ensure sustainability and smooth functioning of the different wheels of the project, a Project Management Unit will be established by the Ministry of Water and Environment. Carefully chosen technical officers within this unit will coordinate the day-to-day activities of the project.

Through this comprehensive project, the Ugandan Government expects to speed the recovery of the country’s human, agricultural, and economic health. Be it in times of crisis or national prosperity, the success of the project will prove key to helping secure the lives and livelihoods of Uganda’s people.