The Danish government through its ambassador to Uganda H.E Signe Winding Albjerg has disclosed a 95 million US dollar investment cooperation programme to support climate change adaptation activities in the East African nation.
According to her the programme which runs from 2023 to 2028 is majorly focusing on climate change adaptation, climate smart agriculture, and assisting in green transition.
“I foresee a great potential for long-term collaborations through this programme between the two countries as Denmark seeks to build its past experiences with agriculture, as well as result in the agriculture sector in Uganda. This is particularly the case for green solutions,” said Winding.
She spoke upon welcoming a Danish Delegation comprising seven companies from the agriculture sector, who visited Uganda to engage with potential partners and farmers for business and knowledge exchange, just ahead of the Uganda-European Union Business Forum.
Previous adaptation programmes
This programme will add unto the previous similar plans which have been initiated in the country such as the June 2023 Green Climate Fund backed $2.9 million initiative with support from UN Environment Programme (UNEP).
Under the National Adaptation Plan (NAP), this programme and others initiated by the USAID have been developed to come up with activities to determine vulnerability and adaptation priorities, and integrate adaptation considerations into development and sectoral planning.
However, adaptation challenges remain, including mainstreaming adaptation into the country’s medium-term development framework.
Trade between Denmark and Uganda
Winding noted that the trade balance between Uganda and Denmark is relatively low compared to what they believe it should be.
“This necessitates a shared commitment between the two governments, particularly in the agriculture sector, to bolster trade relations between our two countries,” said Winding.
Over the past 26 years, Uganda’s exports to Denmark have witnessed a decrease at an annualized rate of 1.16%, declining from $5.17 million in 1995 to $3.82 million in 2021.
In 2021, Denmark exported goods worth only $18.8 million to Uganda. Key products exported from Denmark to Uganda included Broadcasting Equipment ($3.85 million), Computers ($2.64 million), and Enzymes ($2.13 million).
“We believe that by focusing on our shared interests and numerous similarities, particularly in the agricultural sector, we can further improve the trade balance. Our experience shows that when we facilitate meetings between Danish companies and their Ugandan counterparts, we see an increase in balance. However, it’s clear we’re not yet at the level we aim for, and we believe there’s significant untapped potential for trade between our countries,” Her Excellency emphasized.
The delegation brings with it new technologies and opportunities. Some offer advanced methods for handling agricultural waste and methods to make the chicken processing more efficient.
Winding is hopeful that the visit will provide the delegates with a comprehensive understanding of Uganda’s agricultural sector as a business and an opportunity to visit prominent agricultural firms in Uganda, fostering potential partnerships.
