Kampala, Uganda | 30–31 October 2025—The Coalition of Pastoralist Civil Society Organisations (COPACSO) achieved significant advocacy and recognition at the 15th Annual Indigenous and Traditional Seed and Food Festival, a key national event within Agroecology Week 2025. Under the compelling theme, “Exploring Uganda’s cultural diversity through indigenous seeds and foods,” COPACSO decisively amplified the voices of pastoralist communities from Karamoja and Ankole on this vital national platform, effectively promoting agroecology as the most climate-resilient solution for Uganda’s future food security.
COPACSO’s strategically curated exhibition served as a powerful, visual demonstration of the richness and resilience of Karamoja’s agricultural heritage. The display prominently featured diverse indigenous seeds, including robust varieties of sorghum, millet, and beans. Pastoralist representatives, whose attendance was facilitated by COPACSO, provided authentic, firsthand testimony on the critical cultural and nutritional significance of these seeds. During the high-level policy sessions, the COPACSO Advocacy Officer delivered a robust statement, emphasizing the urgent need for stringent policy protection of traditional seed systems against the growing influence and inherent risks posed by Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs). This focused advocacy campaign was a major success, ensuring the vital concerns of pastoralists were placed at the forefront of the national debate on agricultural policy and sovereignty.
In recognition of its sustained and impactful efforts to protect agroecology, COPACSO was formally presented with a highly esteemed Certificate of Appreciation for its unwavering support to communities in preserving indigenous foods and seeds.
