Household and Community Transformation (HCT) coordinators from the 39 dioceses of the Church of Uganda on Friday visited the Agriculture Research and Development Centre (ARDC) in Kajjansi for a learning tour on fish farming and aquaponics.
The team was joined by international partners, including Kurt Dillinger, President and Founder of Life International; Steve Biondo, Chief Advancement Officer of Life International; and Chuck Bentley, Chief Executive Officer of Crown Financial Ministries International.
Aquaponics, an innovative farming system that combines fish rearing with soil-less plant cultivation, is hailed for its efficient use of organic inputs, water conservation, and potential to address climate change challenges while boosting food security.
Through its Directorate of Household and Community Transformation, the Church of Uganda plans to roll out aquaponics initiatives across dioceses as part of its livelihoods transformation agenda. The initiative is aimed at empowering households to increase food production, improve nutrition, and generate sustainable incomes.
Rev. Andrew Agaba, Director of Household and Community Transformation, said the Church is committed to equipping communities with climate-smart technologies.
“Aquaponics provides an opportunity for us to strengthen household resilience, fight poverty, and improve livelihoods in a sustainable way,” he noted.
Dr. Papias Tibihika, Head of ARDC, commended the Church for embracing modern agricultural practices and pledged continued support from the National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO).
“We shall continue to provide technical guidance, training, and access to technologies that will help communities fully benefit from innovations like aquaponics,” he said.
ARDC operates under the National Fisheries Resources Research Institute (NaFIRRI), which is part of NARO.
Friday’s visit builds on a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on December 7, 2022, between the Church of Uganda and NARO at the Provincial Secretariat in Namirembe.
The MoU seeks to scale up the adoption of agricultural technologies across all dioceses.
Under the partnership, NARO provides technical support, facilitates agricultural training, builds the capacity of church leaders, and recommends equipment and inputs necessary for technology promotion and adoption.
