Map showing data collection coordination by the Uganda Aquaculture Census 2025.
Image: Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS).
Authorities in Uganda are this month embarking on an ambitious nationwide aquaculture census to capture data on the country's fish farming sector.
The Uganda Aquaculture Census 2025, conducted by the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) in coordination with Uganda's Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), began on 12 May and will continue for one month. UBOS officially swore-in 284 census enumerators and 272 district supervisors on 8 May, following an intensive training course.
In a series of updates on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), UBOS said the census "will generate quality statistics to facilitate national development, stimulate private sector growth, & support regional development, ensuring that all opportunities within Aquaculture are fully tapped to strengthen sustainable development."
The census will capture data on production, location and stakeholders, aiming to provide insights that can "support the development of informed policies and attract targeted investments," UBOS stated.
According to 2022 data from the UN's Food and Agriculture Organizaiton (FAO), Uganda ranks as Sub-Saharan Africa’s second-largest aquaculture producer, after Nigeria.
Between 2000 and 2019, the country’s recorded aquaculture output grew significantly, from just over 800 tonnes to approximately 103,700 tonnes. The sector is largely dominated by Nile tilapia, accounting for around 69% of production, followed by catfish at about 30%.
FAO figures indicate that in 2019, Uganda's fisheries and aquaculture sector supported the livelihoods of an estimated 153,000 people, the majority of whom worked in inland fisheries, with around 28,200 involved in aquaculture operations.
