The role of civil society networks in catalyzing agroecological transitions in Uganda

Abstract

Agroecology is increasingly recognized as a trans­formative pathway for building resilient and equita­ble food systems and addressing climate challenges. In Uganda, civil society organization (CSO) net­works play a pivotal role in promoting agroecology through training, advocacy, and the facilitation of farmer-led innovations. This study examined the role of the Participatory Ecological Land Use Management (PELUM) Uganda, a CSO network, in facilitating agroecological transitions through coordinated civil society action. A qualitative case study involved review of 27 internal organizational documents and four in-depth interviews with PELUM Secretariat staff members. The research focused on five key intervention domains of PELUM Uganda: (1) capacity building, (2) research and innovation, (3) networking and collaboration, (4) advocacy, and (5) climate change engagement. Findings indicate that PELUM Uganda employs a multi-approach strategy, combining grassroots farmer training with policy advocacy at regional and national levels. The Secretariat has fostered peer-to-peer learning platforms, promoted agro­ecology integration into climate policies, and sup­ported leadership development within its member organizations. However, challenges persist, includ­ing inadequate documentation systems, limited post-training follow-up, underfunding, institutional fragmentation, and inconsistent member engagement.

The analysis shows that civil society networks play a central role in connecting farmers, research­ers, and policymakers. Within this system, PELUM Uganda functions as a coordinating hub that facili­tates knowledge exchange between farmers and research institutions while representing member organizations in policy discussions. Evidence from interviews and institutional documents indicates that these interactions have led to including agroe­cology in national climate and agriculture strategies and have strengthened district-level farmer training programs. The findings therefore highlight that scaling agroecology depends on sustained public investment in decentralized research, participatory extension, and structured collaboration with net­works like PELUM to develop localized initiatives into national frameworks for climate adaptation and food systems transformation.