Farmers along the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) route have been urged to form SACCOs or farmer groups and obtain certification from the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) or district production offices if they want to benefit from supplying goods during the project’s construction phase.
The call comes as the China Petroleum Pipeline Engineering Company (CPP), the main contractor for building the main camps and pipe yards for the EACOP project, begins construction of camp sites.
The 1,443-kilometre pipeline runs through the districts of Hoima, Kikuube, Kakumiro, Kyankwanzi, Gomba, Mubende, Lwengo, Sembabule, Kyotera, and Rakai before crossing into Tanzania.
Certification, officials say, will help farmers meet the high-quality, quantity, and safety standards required by oil and gas companies, opening up access to a lucrative market created by the pipeline’s development.
Ms Natasha Kasami, the National Content Lead for EACOP, said certification is crucial for farmers to supply food to the oil sector.
‘Certification allows farmers to meet the specific food safety, quality, and quantity standards required by oil and gas companies,’ Ms Kasami explained. ‘This access is crucial because the project is projected to create a large market by bringing over a million people to the oil and pipeline districts who will require consistent food supplies.’
She added that certified farmers are likely to earn more from premium markets. ‘Meeting certification standards, such as organic certification, allows farmers to access premium markets and command higher prices for their products,’ she said.
‘The oil and gas industry is creating significant demand, and certified farmers are better positioned to capture a larger share of this new market, improving their incomes and economic empowerment.’
Ms Kasami also noted that the certification process helps improve farming practices by encouraging sustainable and environmentally friendly methods, including reduced use of synthetic chemicals, a step that can boost soil fertility and biodiversity for long-term productivity.
To meet these requirements, farmers receive training in food safety standards, consistent production, and compliance, often supported by organizations that help with aggregation, sorting, and packaging according to market standards.
However, she acknowledged that several challenges remain. ‘Companies working with the oil sector must be registered with the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) and have a Tax Identification Number (TIN), which can be a barrier for many smallholder farmers,’ Ms Kasami said.
She also encouraged farmers to diversify their crops to meet the specific demand from oil camps, where vegetables and other fresh produce are in high demand.
‘We need farmers to adapt and take advantage of this opportunity. The oil project is not just about infrastructure, it’s also about creating sustainable livelihoods for our people,’ she emphasized.