development 6 October 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Fisheries expert champions women's empowerment through pond farming in rural Uganda
Dr. Anand, an Indian-born fisheries expert with over three decades of experience in East Africa, is focusing on pond fish farming to uplift women in rural communities, emphasizing knowledge, resources, and leadership for their economic independence. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/indian-born-fisheries-expert-turns-to-ponds-to-empower-women-in-rural-communities-5621962
Dr. Amruth Anand, who arrived in Uganda in 1994, has dedicated over 30 years to fisheries consultancy across East Africa. Through his extensive work, he has observed the significant vulnerability and poverty faced by women in the fisheries sector, despite their crucial role in supporting families. Dr. Anand believes that providing women with knowledge, resources, and a voice can transform not only their lives but also their households and communities.
His commitment to empowerment is evident in his approach, ensuring women are active participants rather than passive recipients in development projects. This ethos is central to the Kasensero Blue Economy and Human Development Programme in Kyotera, which prioritizes employing women and youth in pond fish farming.
While cage farming offers higher yields, Dr. Anand advocates for ponds as a more accessible and community-benefiting approach for rural development, particularly in areas with water availability. He notes that pond farming, requiring less capital investment than cages, can empower a larger number of small-scale farmers, thereby addressing income disparities at the grassroots level.
Dr. Anand stresses the importance of securing direct buyers, or ‘off-takers,’ for fish to eliminate exploitative middlemen and ensure fair prices for farmers. He argues for greater transparency in the fish market, drawing parallels to more open markets for other agricultural products. To enhance bargaining power and sustainability, he encourages the formation of Savings and Credit Cooperatives (Saccos) among fish farmers.
Furthermore, Dr. Anand played a key role in Uganda securing access to the European Union market for farmed fish in early 2026. This achievement, following a rigorous process to meet EU sanitary standards, allows Uganda to export up to 4,000 metric tonnes of farmed finfish annually, creating potential for significant economic growth and processing jobs within the country.