Urban fish farms outproduce rural units as Uganda’s aquaculture hits 9,463 farms

Uganda’s aquaculture sector is showing a sharp productivity divide between rural and urban fish farms, even as the industry continues to expand to nearly 9,500 registered units, according to the latest Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) report.

The 2025 Aquaculture Census Report, released on April 30, 2026, shows that the country now has 9,463 fish farms spread across the country, with a strong rural footprint but a more productive urban base.

Rural areas account for 6,408 farms compared to 3,055 in urban centres. However, despite this numerical dominance in rural areas, urban farms produced the bulk of fish during the 2024/25 production year.

UBOS data shows that urban aquaculture systems delivered 72.1 per cent of national output, equivalent to 47,050.7 metric tonnes, compared to significantly lower yields from rural operations. The finding points to higher efficiency, better inputs, and more intensive production systems in urban areas.

Buganda region leads in farm concentration, accounting for 13.4 per cent of all aquaculture farms. Ankole and Tooro also remain important production hubs, particularly for pond-based fish farming.

The report was launched by planning state minister Amos Lugolobi, at UBOS headquarters at Statistics House in Kampala city.

Overall, Uganda produced 65,444 metric tonnes of fish from aquaculture between July 2024 and June 2025.

Tilapia dominated production, contributing 82.4 per cent (53,924.1 metric tonnes), while catfish made up 17.3 per cent (11,347.4 metric tonnes).

Other species such as mirror carp accounted for a small share.

The structure of the sector shows a strong tilt toward commercial production. 
About 97.1 per cent of farms operate as grow-out systems, while hatcheries and integrated operations remain limited.

Pond farming remains the backbone of production, with 8,738 farms using ponds. Uganda has 24,348 ponds in total, though only 17,108 were stocked during the reporting period. Cage and tank systems are still emerging but remain relatively small in scale.
Commercialisation is also widespread across key species, with 77.3 per cent of tilapia farmers and 78.8 per cent of catfish farmers producing mainly for sale.

Despite growth, UBOS flags persistent constraints affecting output, including fish theft, escapes, mortality and delayed harvesting linked to immature stock.

The census draws on data from the 2024 National Population and Housing Census and is intended to strengthen planning and improve service delivery in the sector.

“The general objective was to generate data on the structure of the aquaculture sector and production levels,” UBOS notes, underscoring a growing shift toward evidence-based agricultural planning.

Speaking at the launch, Lugolobi urged policymakers to rely more on verified statistics to guide development decisions and avoid inefficiencies.

“We must utilise UBOS reports to plan effectively for employment and development decisions,” Lugolobi said, stressing the importance of labour and sector data in national planning.

He further emphasised that weak data systems undermine accountability and implementation of government programmes.

“If you cannot measure what you are doing, then you should not do it at all,” he said.

UBOS executive director Dr Chris Mukiza said Uganda’s first Aquaculture Census report provides up-to-date statistics on the structure of the aquaculture sector, including distribution patterns, stock production, and extension services, to support planning for food security, income generation, and value addition.