The Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) has signed a USD 1.5million (approximately UGX 5.5billion) Partnership Support Agreement with Trade Mark Africa (TMA) to boost UNBS’ capacity in supporting standardisation of agro-industrial products by Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in different parts of the country to enable their products meet regional and international market requirements.
The development is in line with the UNBS mandate of strengthening the economy of Uganda by assuring the quality of locally manufactured products to enhance the competitiveness of exports in regional and international markets, and Trade Mark Africa’s goal of providing support to enhance trade facilitation and regulatory standards.
During the signing ceremony at the UNBS head offices in Bweyogerere, the TMA Country Director, Ms. Anna Nambooze cited the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor that ranks Uganda among the top five entrepreneurial nations, and the State of Entrepreneurship Monitor launched in Uganda in 2024, which indicates that MSMEs are the majority enterprises in Uganda, thus, the bloodline of Uganda’s business sector. However, while many businesses are established, their growth requires greater support.
“The government has made it easier to start-up businesses, but supportive systems to guide these MSMEs through their growth journey remains insufficient. To boost Uganda’s exports, capacity building for MSMEs is critical to appreciate standards and integrate them into their operations from inception.” Ms. Nambooze said.
The UNBS Executive Director Eng. James Kasigwa appreciated Trade Mark Africa for the timely support noting that it has come at a time when UNBS is working with a new value proposition of growing quality MSMEs by handholding them to meet the quality standards. The aim is to support market access and competitiveness of Ugandan made products on the local and international markets.
“In the next 5 years, we are going to grow MSMEs and strengthen their ability to supply the domestic and export market. This will boost industrialisation, import substitution and export promotion in line with National Development Plan IV and the ten-fold strategy of growing Uganda’s economy from USD 50billion to USD 500 billion by 2040. We need to be intentional about building Uganda.” Eng. Kasigwa said.
The twelve-month Partner Support Agreement worth over USD 1.5million (approximately UGX 5.5Billion) will among others, facilitate capacity building through;
- Procurement and installation of Mobile Quality Assurance Testing Equipment to serve selected Border communities (Goli, Paidha & Vurra in Uganda and Mahagi & Aruu on the DRC side)
- Accreditation services to support UNBS to gain accreditation for its 3 regional laboratories (Gulu, Mbale, Mbarara), expansion of scope of the already accredited laboratories and GAP analysis for the National Metrology Laboratories to support their accreditation.
- Equipment for one UNBS border post laboratory (Busia) to test and facilitate compliance to the set safety and quality requirements.
- Global GAP Integrated Farm Assurance V6, ECOMARK, Personnel Certification and Food Safety training and registration for UNBS certification auditors, MAAIF farm assurers and implementation training for private sector to mention but a few.
- Awareness creation and sensitisation of MSMEs on Standards and Certification requirements
