Unsafe harvests raise food safety fears in Uganda’s markets

Uganda is widely celebrated as East Africa’s food basket, producing fresh fruits, vegetables and grains throughout the year. However, beneath the abundance filling markets across the country, experts warn of a growing food safety crisis driven by heavy chemical use, poor storage practices, and weak regulation.

From small farms to crowded urban markets, produce is often sold directly from field to stall. To meet the demand for large, visually appealing crops and to cope with rising production costs, many farmers rely heavily on pesticides and other agrochemicals, sometimes applying them excessively or in unsafe ways. Limited oversight means such practices frequently go unchecked.

“When customers come to the market, they usually choose food that looks big and healthy,” said Justine Nambooze, a food vendor in Kampala. “Most of it has been sprayed with chemicals. The organic ones, like these sweet potatoes, are smaller, and people don’t want them. As traders, we go with what makes money.”

Food safety risks are compounded after harvest. Poor storage and handling, particularly of grains, increase the likelihood of aflatoxins, which are toxic compounds produced by mould, therefore contaminating food supplies. Researchers say many farmers are unaware of the dangers, believing their methods improve food quality rather than endanger consumers.

“What we are worried about is, first of all, the excessive application in the gardens,” said Archileo Kaaya, a researcher on aflatoxins at Makerere University. “And then applying the chemical after the fruits have been harvested, especially tomatoes. Many of you have seen that whitish chemical on tomatoes; farmers apply it thinking it will protect the fruits from decay.”

For many households, cost outweighs safety concerns. Medical professionals warn that long-term exposure to contaminated food can have serious health consequences, including cancer.

“It is important for people to know that no one is born with cancer,” said Dr. Noleb Mugisha of the Uganda Cancer Institute. “But somebody may be born with a cell that has the potential to turn into a cancer cell. Many of these agrochemicals have the capacity to induce the process of this cell turning into a cancer cell.”

Uganda records an estimated 35,000 new cancer cases each year, with cervical, breast and prostate cancers among the most common. While no single cause is blamed, health experts say food safety cannot be ignored as a contributing factor.

Uganda produces enough food to feed its population but weak regulation, limited testing and enforcement gaps mean safety often comes last, turning food into a public health risk, especially for children and vulnerable communities.

Agricultural specialists say that pressure to harvest quickly, combined with limited farmer training, is driving unsafe practices at the farm level, even as demand for Ugandan produce grows at home and abroad.

“These foods that are prone to aflatoxins are highly consumed,” said Agnes Kirabo of the Uganda Food Rights Alliance. “They are highly demanded within the country and outside the country, which means income and development. So we need to harness these opportunities.”

Health and agriculture experts agree that stronger enforcement, better farmer education, and increased public awareness are urgently needed. In a country rich in food, they warn that while hunger may not be the primary challenge, confidence in the safety of what people eat is increasingly at stake.

Edited by CGTN Africa reporter Marion Gachuhi