While launching the programme, Prof. Winston Tumps Ireeta, the Makerere University acting Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Finance and Administration said the project aligns with the university’s drive to translate research into commercial and community benefit.
A new programme aimed at improving incomes, food security and social welfare among marginalized fishing communities, with special focus on women and youth, has been launched.
The three-and-a-half-year initiative, known as NutriFishPLUS, seeks to increase community participation in decision-making, scale up nutrition-related innovations, and curb gender-based domestic violence.
It also aims at strengthening post-harvest handling and value addition to enhance livelihoods among small-scale fishing households.
The project is funded with sh1.9bn (800,000 Canadian dollars) by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) and Canada’s International Research Development Centre (IDRC) under the Cultivate Africa’s Future PLUS programme.
Launched at Ridar Hotel in Seeta, Mukono Municipality on Monday, the programme will be implemented by Makerere University’s Department of Zoology, Entomology and Fisheries Science in partnership with Kati Farms and Nutreal Limited.
According to the Principal Investigator, Dr. Jackson Efitre, NutriFishPLUS focuses on Small Pelagic Fishes, commonly known as mukene, muziri and ragoogi, across Lakes Victoria, Albert and Kyoga.
Dr. Efitre Key landing sites include Katosi, Kikondo and Kiyindi in Mukono and Buikwe districts, Dei, Kaiso and Pakwach on Lake Albert, and Bangladesh landing site and two others yet to be designated in Amolatar District.
The launch was attended by representatives from fishing communities who had earlier benefited from training between 2019 and 2023 on improved fish handling, post-harvest loss reduction, and value-addition techniques.
While launching the programme, Prof. Winston Tumps Ireeta, the Makerere University acting Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Finance and Administration said the project aligns with the university’s drive to translate research into commercial and community benefit.
Ireete, who is also the Principal of the College of Natural Sciences at Makerere University, noted that it supports key areas including food and nutrition security, sustainable resource management and rural economic empowerment.
He welcomed the collaboration among academia, the private sector, development agencies and local communities, saying this model strengthens innovation and widens impact.
Dr. Edidah Ampaire Lubega from the IDRC office in Nairobi expressed satisfaction with the programme’s achievements so far.
Ampaire said their institution prioritizes applied research that directly transforms communities, noting that NutriFishPLUS has exceeded expectations in its early phases.
Local leaders optimistic
Katosi Fisheries Officer, Prossy Nakiriza, described the project as a turning point for fishing communities, particularly in encouraging diversification of income beyond fishing.
Nakiriza expressed hope that enforcement operations on illegal fishing would eventually become more humane as livelihoods improve.
Buikwe District Fisheries Officer, James Katali, forecast increased production due to better post-harvest handling.
Katali explained that silver fish used to be dried on bare ground, which led to contamination and rejection in export markets such as Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan.
“With new handling standards, the price of silver fish has risen from sh3,000 to sh15,000 per kilogram,” he said. He noted, however, that increased demand has caused temporary scarcity as more fishers target the species.
Supporting families and strengthening nutrition
Dr. Efitre said the project is also addressing social challenges, including high levels of gender-based violence in fishing communities.
He said the programme began by sensitizing households on the importance of joint financial planning and peaceful coexistence in order to improve family welfare.
“Previous phases of the programme supported innovations such as fortified maize flour, nutritional baby food, fish-based sauces and low-cost solar dryers,” he said.
These, he added, have increased women’s incomes and will now be expanded through NutriFishPLUS.
“Our goal is to empower women and youth, improve nutrition, and build sustainable livelihoods within fishing communities,” Dr. Efitre said.
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