The government, through the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry, and Fisheries (Maaif) and the National Plant Protection Organisation (NPPO), has launched a digital pest surveillance system in Kalangala District to prevent future pest outbreaks that threaten oil palm production.
The initiative follows devastating pest attacks in recent months that left hundreds of farmers on Bunyama Island counting losses after swarms of nettle caterpillars invaded oil palm plantations. The caterpillars strip leaves from trees, weaken stems, and drastically reduce yields.
Mr David Balironda, the general manager of the Ssese Oil Palm Growers Savings and Credit Cooperative Society (SOPAG Sacco) , said harvests of oil palm fresh fruit bunches had dropped from thousands of tonnes to just a few dozen, while daily costs for pest control and labour had surged into millions of shillings.
For example, Mr Abdul Mutazindwa, one of the oil palm farmers, saw his harvest reduced from 1,000 tonnes to just 40 to 50 tonnes a month after caterpillars destroyed more than 19 of his 150 acres.
He previously spent about Shs1.5 million on pest control and labour. Mr Balironda said farmers were rescued after receiving support from the Ministry of Agriculture and the National Agricultural Research Organisation (Naro). However, he revealed that although the caterpillars have since been controlled, other pests continue to pose a serious threat to farmers.
‘A pest commonly known as Masiinya is prevalent in Kalangala, as well as other similar pests like the Red African Oil Palm Weevil, which pose serious threats to oil palm production. If these pests are not dealt with early, they can become highly destructive and may wipe out our oil palm crops.
In the end, the entire economic activity would be affected,’ he said during an interview with this newspaper on October 12. Mr Balironda added that preventing pest outbreaks is not only a farming concern but also a matter of national economic stability.
‘Because this is an open-water region, we lack historical data on pest behaviour here. Since there is no crop inspection on what enters through the water borders, careful surveillance and regulation are essential,’ he said.
To prevent further losses and enable faster detection and monitoring, Uganda has joined the African Phytosanitary Programme (APP), an initiative designed to digitise pest surveillance and reporting systems.
Dr Joab Tugume, a senior agricultural inspector in charge of quarantine and import regulation at Maaif, said the country is now well equipped to detect any pest invasion in time and make quick decisions.
‘When we go to the field, we can now collect and review data in real time, which improves decision-making,’ he said.
‘The data gathered can also be shared with relevant stakeholders and trading partners to support market access and compliance with international plant health standards,’ he added.
During a recent training session in Kalangala, trained inspectors and researchers formed teams that will conduct annual surveillance for prioritised pests, including the Red Palm Weevil, Banana Bunchy Top disease, and Xylella fastidiosa, a bacterial pathogen that threatens Uganda’s flower industry.
‘After this exercise, we are heading to a flower farm to carry out digital surveillance using the same tools provided under the African Phytosanitary Programme,’ Dr Tugume said.
Under the APP, each participating country operates through a mandated institution responsible for pest and disease control – the National Plant Protection Organisation (NPPO).
In Uganda, this mandate falls under the Department of Crop Inspection and Certification at Maaif, which collaborates closely with private sector partners, research institutions, and farmer cooperatives like SOPGCO.
Dr Tugume clarified that while the digital tools can be accessed by various stakeholders, data control and official reporting remain centralised under Maaif for better real-time decision-making.
The APP was designed to equip national plant health offices across Africa with scientific knowledge and digital tools to enhance pest surveillance and reporting. The goal is to enable all 54 African countries to strengthen their capacity to detect, monitor, and respond to plant pests of economic and environmental importance.
A consultant from the programme’s secretariat, Prof Arop Deng, said between September and November, the International Plant Protection Secretariat is supporting training activities in about eight countries and providing digital equipment to enable real-time monitoring of infestations.
‘We are providing digital tablets equipped with specialised software that enables inspectors and researchers to monitor pest infestations in real time. Field supplies, including pheromones and lures, are also being distributed to help officers identify, track, and manage pests effectively,’ Prof Deng said.
He added that the digital approach represents a new era in agricultural pest management.
‘The programme is expected to improve agricultural output by ensuring timely detection and control of pests. Through its digital monitoring system, officials in the Ministry of Agriculture can access and analyse real-time data, enabling them to make quick and evidence-based decisions,’ he said.
‘When a pest invasion or intrusion occurs, the system provides early warnings, allowing the country to prepare, confine, and contain the threat before it spreads and causes crop losses,’ he added.
Experts say the digital transition will have a direct impact on farmers such as those in Kalangala, who have suffered significant losses due to pest invasions. By integrating modern technology with traditional pest surveillance methods, the programme aims to strengthen Uganda’s food security and protect farmers’ livelihoods.
Mr Balironda welcomed the government’s intervention, saying the new surveillance system will restore hope to farmers struggling with the outbreak of pests.
‘With digital reporting and faster response, we believe the days of waiting for months before action is taken will be gone,’ he said, adding: ‘Farmers will be better prepared, our trees will recover, and Kalangala’s oil palm industry can thrive again.’