Factors Promoting or inhibiting the integration of ecologically modern principles into the Ugandan agriculture industry

Abstract

Uganda's plan for the modernization of Agriculture (PMA) is comprised of strategies and programs to enhance production, processing and marketing of Ugandan agriculutural produce and products. In order for the  transition of the Uganda agriculture industry to be sustainanble, it is important to ensure such things as the maintenance of good soil quality, minimization of the leakage of chemical inputs into the environment, and protection of water and irrigation systems. This research focused on identifying those factors that may be prompting or inhibiting the adoption of such ecologically modern principles into the agriculture industry. These factors influence the industry's political ecology - those political and strategic actions taken by individuals and organizations, which in turn dictate to what extent ecological modernization can occur. The eco-factors, are in the categories of 1) orginizational commitments, competencies, and constraints, 2) environmental policies and programmes, 3) industrial ecology conditions, 4) positioning of related businesses, 5) interest groups and organizations 6) market demand and patterns of utilization, and 7) competitive forces and collaboration. The research identifies several points of intervention that may further encourage the integration of environmental approaches within the Ugandan agriculture industry: improved access to financial captital, access to markets, and capacity building.