Uganda’s food tourism market projected to hit sh14.7 trillion by 2034
Kalema said tourists increasingly wanted to experience Uganda’s indigenous foods and beverages, creating opportunities for farmers practising sustainable agriculture to link production with tourism.
(L-R) Josephine Akia Luyimbazi, Pelum Uganda Country Coordinator, Allan Sebuliba Njuba listen to Joseph Kalema, Agro Tourism Association CEO during a press conference about the Agroecology week of Action at Hotel Africana on 22nd October 2026. (Credit: Juliet Kasirye)
Uganda’s food tourism market could grow to sh14.7 trillion ($3.5 billion) by 2034, presenting opportunities for farmers, agroecological entrepreneurs and tour operators to earn more from the country’s indigenous foods and agricultural products.
Joseph Kalema, the chief executive officer of the Agro-Tourism Association of Uganda (ATA), said the country’s food tourism market had an estimated potential of sh5.36 trillion ($1.28 billion), with projections indicating significant growth over the coming years.
He made the remarks on Thursday at Africa Hotel in Kampala during a press conference organised by PELUM Uganda ahead of the 2026 National Agroecology Week of Action.
Kalema said agroecology presented opportunities not only for environmental conservation, but also generating income for farmers and other players in the agricultural value chain.
“So, in Uganda, as far as the tourism association is concerned, the Ugandan market potential for food tourism is $1.28b. And from our projections in 2034, we are likely to get about $3.5b,” he said.
He noted that farmers could diversify their income by opening their farms to tourists interested in learning about agricultural production, tasting local foods and understanding how products such as coffee are grown.
Kalema said tourists increasingly wanted to experience Uganda’s indigenous foods and beverages, creating opportunities for farmers practising sustainable agriculture to link production with tourism.
Coffee, for example, could attract visitors interested in understanding its production process and tasting the final product.
According to Kalema, tour operators were increasingly engaging farmers to identify farms that could accommodate visitors and offer experiences centred on agricultural production. He said farmers intending to benefit from such arrangements needed to follow agroecological principles and ensure their production practices were suitable for visitors.
Tourists could visit farms, learn about production methods and taste locally produced foods, with payments providing farmers with an additional source of income, he said.
Joseph Kalema, the chief executive officer of the Agro-Tourism Association of Uganda (ATA), said the country’s food tourism market had an estimated potential of sh5.36 trillion ($1.28 billion), with projections indicating significant growth over the coming years. (Credit: Juliet Kasirye)
The approach could help make agricultural enterprises more sustainable by allowing farmers to earn from both selling produce and hosting visitors.
However, Kalema emphasised the need for farmers and tourism operators to work together to ensure visitors receive safe, quality products and meaningful experiences.
He urged stakeholders to explore these opportunities, saying agroecology should be viewed as both an environmental conservation approach and a viable business opportunity.
Kalema was among a panel of five experts who discussed opportunities for advancing agroecology and strengthening Uganda’s food systems.
The other panellists were;
▪️Josephine Akia Luyimbazi, the country coordinator of PELUM Uganda
▪️Alexander Atuyamba, a smallholder farmer from Rukiga district and chairperson of PELUM Uganda’s Thematic Committee
▪️Edward Mukiibi, the executive director of Slow Food Uganda and chairperson of the PELUM
Uganda board
▪️Allan Sebulime Njuba, the head of programmes at the Central Archdiocesan Province Caritas Association (CAPCA)
CAPCA is a non-profit consortium and development organisation registered in 2006 that serves as the development arm of the Catholic Church’s Central Archdiocesan Province in Uganda.
Agroecology week activities
Akia said PELUM Uganda and its partners would use media engagements, digital communication, exhibitions and documentation of farmers’ experiences to broaden public awareness and share lessons from the events.
“Follow-up engagement will seek to track commitments and encourage continued collaboration among participating stakeholders,” she said.
Akia said PELUM Uganda viewed the Agroecology Week of Action as more than a series of events, describing it as an opportunity to build commitments, strengthen partnerships and identify practical actions that could advance agroecology beyond the five-day convening.
According to PELUM Uganda, the 2026 Agroecology Week of Action will feature three flagship events aimed at contributing to the transformation of Uganda’s food systems.
The eighth National Agroecology Actors’ Symposium and the fifth Agroecological Market System Expo (AMASE) will take place at Hotel Africana in Kampala next Wednesday (October 28).
The expo recognises that sustainable agricultural production must be complemented by reliable markets, appropriate financing, value addition and stronger connections among farmers, processors, retailers, institutional buyers and consumers.
The 16th Indigenous and Traditional Seed and Food Festival is scheduled for October 29–30, 2026.
Mukiibi said Uganda’s food future depended on protecting biodiversity, supporting farmers and building food systems that nourish people while sustaining the environment.
He said the Agroecology Week of Action provided an opportunity to strengthen recognition of agroecology beyond its contribution to sustainable agricultural production.
“We must ensure that agroecology is recognised not only for its contribution to sustainable production, but also for its potential to strengthen livelihoods, create opportunities, and preserve our food heritage,” he said.