Uganda Launches First Vegetable IPM Agroecology Living Lab

A significant step towards sustainable vegetable farming has been taken in Uganda with the establishment of the nation’s inaugural Integrated Pest Management (IPM) agroecology living lab. This initiative, a collaborative effort between researchers, farmers, and agricultural organizations like ASARECA and PELUM Uganda, aims to steer vegetable growers away from harmful chemical pesticides towards more environmentally friendly and biologically-based pest control methods.

The living lab is designed as a practical demonstration garden where farmers can learn and apply a combination of physical, botanical, and crucially, biological control measures. This includes the introduction of natural predators and parasitoids to manage pests, a significant advancement over traditional, often indiscriminate, pesticide spraying. Such practices have led to considerable yield losses, estimated at over 30 percent nationally, and pose risks to public health and beneficial ecosystems.

The project, funded by the European Union under the DeSIRA initiative and managed by IFAD, is part of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme ex-pillar IV (CAADP-XP4). It addresses the low adoption rates of agroecological technologies by involving farmers directly in the co-creation and testing of solutions, bridging the gap between research findings and practical application.

Koppert Biological Systems is partnering to introduce effective biopesticide alternatives. The focus is not only on pest control but also on rebuilding soil health, recognizing that robust soil leads to stronger plants more resilient to pests. The lab will serve as a ‘working classroom,’ with ongoing monitoring and farmer engagement planned for at least six months to ensure knowledge transfer and sustained practice. This living lab represents a crucial opportunity to develop effective biological solutions for common vegetable crop challenges, particularly bacterial diseases that have been difficult to manage with conventional agroecological methods.