In March 2025, an unprecedented gathering of farmers, vendors, government officials, and researchers met in Kampala to address a silent crisis affecting Uganda's food system. The CABI-organized workshop revealed disturbing patterns of pesticide misuse that threaten public health across the country, while forging a path toward safer practices through strategic behavior change communication. The resulting multi-stakeholder initiative represents one of the most comprehensive approaches to food safety in Uganda's recent history, targeting every level of the food value chain from farm to table.
Uncovering Uganda's Hidden Food Safety Crisis
The five-day CABI stakeholder workshop held in Kampala from March 24-28, 2025, began with troubling revelations from local market investigations. Field research in Kalerwe Market, one of Kampala's busiest food hubs, exposed significant knowledge gaps among both vendors and consumers regarding pesticide safety. The findings painted a concerning picture of Uganda's food system, where dangerous chemicals routinely make their way from farm to table with little awareness of the potential health consequences.
"A tomato seller stood before us and admitted that while she sprays to preserve her produce, she never considered the health risks to her customers or herself," noted one participant's account of the workshop. This candid admission highlighted how deeply entrenched unsafe practices have become within Uganda's food distribution chain.
The Kalerwe Market's existing "Wash 5 Times" initiative, while well-intentioned, further revealed critical gaps in consumer education about pesticide safety. Market surveys demonstrated that many consumers and vendors lack a fundamental understanding of chemical residues, proper washing techniques, and the potential health impacts of pesticide exposure.
The Scale of the Problem
The workshop participants learned that pesticide misuse occurs at nearly every step of the food chain in Uganda. Farmers, pressured by economic concerns and crop loss fears, often apply chemicals incorrectly or use unauthorized substances. Traders and vendors, meanwhile, may add additional chemicals to preserve produce during transportation and display, frequently without proper training or protective equipment.
The problem extends beyond individual practices to systemic issues, including:
• Inadequate regulatory enforcement at markets and farms
• Limited access to pesticide safety training for farmers and vendors
• Economic pressures that prioritize appearance and shelf-life over safety
• Cultural and linguistic barriers to effective safety communication
• Lack of coordination between government agencies, market authorities, and health officials
Designing Strategic Behavior Change Communication
The workshop's central innovation was its application of behavioral science models to the pesticide safety challenge. Rather than simply providing information, participants worked together to develop targeted behavior change strategies for different stakeholder groups.
Understanding Audience Motivations
Workshop facilitators guided participants through a process of understanding the psychological, social, and practical factors that influence pesticide-related behaviors. By stepping into the shoes of farmers, traders, consumers, and policymakers, participants gained crucial insights into why unsafe practices persist despite known risks.
"Some people don't hear the message, not because they're ignorant, but because it's not framed in a way they can relate to," observed one participant. This recognition led to the development of communication approaches tailored to the specific contexts, motivations, and barriers faced by each audience segment.
Farmer-Focused Communication Strategies
The workshop's farmer-focused group identified several critical insights about agricultural pesticide use. Participants noted that many farmers misuse pesticides due to:
• Fear of crop loss and economic hardship
• Inadequate training on integrated pest management alternatives
• Pressure from peers and agricultural suppliers
• Misunderstanding of proper application methods and waiting periods
Based on these insights, the group developed communication strategies emphasizing practical alternatives, economic benefits of proper usage, and protecting family health messages specifically designed to resonate with farmers' daily realities and concerns.
Communication Tools for Maximum Impact
The workshop explored numerous communication channels and formats to effectively reach different audiences across Uganda's diverse cultural and geographical landscape.
Culturally Resonant Approaches
Participants moved beyond traditional information dissemination methods to consider more engaging and culturally relevant approaches, including:
• Community drama and theater productions
• Messages delivered through religious institutions and church choirs
• Local-language audio clips for market broadcast systems
• Visual demonstrations at agricultural supply stores
• Community radio plays featuring familiar scenarios and solutions
"What if messages came through church choirs or village theatre? What if they were shared in local dialects, using stories instead of statistics?" one participant reflected, highlighting the workshop's emphasis on cultural relevance.
Multi-Channel Strategy
The comprehensive communication strategy developed during the workshop incorporated various formats to ensure message consistency across multiple touchpoints:
• Audio clips for radio and market broadcast systems
• Visually striking market posters with minimal text
• Training materials for agricultural extension workers
• Simple guidelines for market vendors
• Policy briefs for government officials
Each communication tool was designed to reinforce core safety messages while addressing the specific needs and contexts of different audience segments.
Stakeholder Commitments and Future Directions
The workshop concluded with concrete commitments from key stakeholders, marking a transition from planning to action. These commitments established a foundation for ongoing collaboration and implementation.
Institutional Pledges
Several major organizations and authorities made specific pledges:
• The Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) committed to strengthening enforcement of market regulations related to pesticide use and food safety
• Academic researchers promised to share previously unpublished data on pesticide risks to inform campaign development
• Market authorities agreed to implement pilot communication initiatives
• CABI pledged to develop and test pilot behavior change campaigns in 2025
Implementation Timeline
The workshop established a clear pathway forward:
1. Finalization of social and behavior change communication (SBCC) materials based on workshop insights
2. Securing funding for nationwide implementation
3. Pilot testing of communication approaches in selected markets
4. Monitoring and evaluation of pilot outcomes
5. Scaling successful approaches to additional regions
Conclusion
The CABI workshop represented a significant milestone in Uganda's journey toward safer food systems. By bringing together diverse stakeholders and applying behavior change principles to pesticide safety, participants laid the groundwork for meaningful reform throughout the country's food production and distribution chain.
The collaborative approach, engaging everyone from farmers to policymakers, offers a model for addressing other complex public health challenges that require behavioral and systemic change. As one participant reflected, "It was more than just a workshop, it was a reminder that with the right message, on the right platform, real change is possible. And it starts with listening, not lecturing.
The coming months will reveal whether this innovative approach can translate workshop commitments into measurable improvements in pesticide practices and, ultimately, safer food for Uganda's consumers. What remains clear is that the path to food safety requires not just regulation and education, but strategic communication that speaks to the hearts and minds of everyone involved in bringing food from farm to table.
