Uganda Organic Certification Ltd.
(UgoCert)

Background

The plan to develop a Uganda Organic Certification programme was first mooted in September 1998 when organic agriculture stakeholders in Uganda held their first meeting at the international conference centre.

The formation of NOGAMU, the National Organic Agricultural Movement of Uganda in January 2001 united the stakeholders and made the development of a national certification programme possible.

A certification programme consists of:

1. Uganda Organic standards (UOS)
2. A certification company to provide certification services (UgoCert)

In 2001, NOGAMU formed an Organic Standards Committee to start on the development of the organic standards (UOS).

In 2002, the process of developing a Ugandan certification programme was started and was boosted with technical support from Grolink AB and financial support from SIDA through the EPOPA programme.

UgoCert was registered in February 2004 as a certification company

Ownership
UgoCert, the Uganda Organic Certification company, is owned by NOGAMU; the movement that unites organic stakeholders in the country, consumer protection organisations, private business companies, NGO:s and the Uganda Coffee Development Authority. Shares have also been reserved for educational, research institutions and processors.

The purpose of forming UgoCert, is to establish a certification company to offer affordable and credible certification services to Uganda based organic producers and operators.

The mission of UgoCert
To contribute to the development and strengthening of environmentally sustainable production systems by developing standards and guidelines and developing trust in organics. UgoCert will actively facilitate the development of realistic and acceptable environmentally sustainable production standards in Uganda and the rest of the world.

‘Trust UgoCert-Trust Organics’ is our Motto.

Our vision 'Environmentally Sustainable Production Systems and Satisfied Customers'

UgoCert – not only certification

Lobbying and advocacy for Organic agriculture
Ugocert is a repository of the country’s expertise in organic standards and certification and plays an important role in informing the government’s organic policy development processes and influencing international policies and programmes.

Promoting a better understanding of organic certification requirements and processes among national stakeholders. The stakeholders now have an office in the country which they can consult about organic certification requirements, processes and developments elsewhere.

UgoCert
P.O. Box 33743
Kampala, Uganda

Tel:
+256 (0)41 226 94 16
Mobile:
+256 (0)77 297 91 62
E-mail: info@ugocert.org