National Oil Palm Project

In Uganda, agriculture remains the backbone of the economy. It contributes more than 20 per cent of the GDP and over 50 per cent of export earnings. Based on the transformative socioeconomic impact achieved under the Vegetable Oil Development Project (VODP) and the VODP Phase 2, the National Oil Palm Project (NOPP) will scale up the approach and be implemented in four hubs in the country: Buvuma, Masaka, Mayuge and an as yet unidentified fourth hub.

NOPP aims to support inclusive rural transformation through oil palm investment. It will sustainably increase rural livelihoods through opportunities generated by the establishment of an efficient oil palm industry that complies with modern environmental and social standards. Overall, it is estimated that 30,800 poor and vulnerable rural households will benefit directly from NOPP activities.

In addition, NOPP will build strong linkages between the smallholder oil palm growers and the primary processors, based on the innovative public-private-producer partnership (4P) arrangement developed under VODP. It will also reduce the market risks faced by the smallholder oil palm growers and ensure their access to quality inputs, technical know-how and investment credit.