Popp (right) interacts with guests during the celebrations to mark USAID’s 62 years in Uganda.
The United States ambassador to Uganda, William Popp, has revealed that in 2025, the U.S. Mission in Uganda will launch an innovative prize to commercialize agricultural research in Uganda.
Popp made this revelation on Wednesday during the celebration to mark 62 years of USAID in Uganda at the Sheraton Hotel in Kampala.
“Today, I am pleased to announce that in 2025 we will be launching an innovation prize to commercialize agricultural research. The United States has longstanding partnerships with Ugandan universities and Ugandan government bodies such as the National Agricultural Research Organization,” said Popp.
For 63 years, the U.S. Agency for International Development has played a key role in U.S. engagement overseas.
“As you have heard tonight, the journey began in 1961, when U.S. president John F. Kennedy brought together several existing foreign assistance organizations and programs to form USAID,” added Popp.
Popp says that the United States has longstanding partnerships with Ugandan universities and Ugandan government bodies such as the National Agricultural Research Organization. For decades, he adds that we have supported cutting-edge agricultural innovations and technologies—from crop varieties to disease reduction.”
However, he added that “we have observed a gap in moving great ideas to markets.”
Ultimately, Popp explained, “We want to see research move off the shelf and into the hands of end users like farmers and the private sector, because we believe that promoting an innovative ecosystem that enhances commercialization of agriculture research products will increase economic opportunities and incomes at the household level.”
So, he says, “We are launching this competition with prizes for the best ideas that link research to markets, including harnessing digital tools that can help improve yields.”
According to Popp, this competition is an example of what our USAID Mission Director touched on earlier about the evolution of USAID.
“And this is crucial, because as the world changes, our approaches change with it. USAID today is focusing on local partnerships and a journey toward self-reliance. Here in Uganda, we have one of the very highest levels of localization of any USAID mission in the world. Another example is the United States’ engagements in new and innovative ways to bring together humanitarian and development assistance with the private sector. A flagship demonstration of this focus is Prosper Africa, a trade and investment initiative led by USAID, which brings together services from across the U.S. government to help companies and investors do business in the U.S. and African markets. In Uganda, there have been 119 deals valued at about $2 billion (more than 7 trillion UGX). Yet another example is Power Africa, a U.S. government-led partnership that harnesses the collective resources of public and private sectors to add at least 30,000 megawatts of cleaner and more reliable electricity generation capacity and 60 million connections by 2030. And we could look to the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), which partners with the private sector to finance solutions to the most critical challenges facing the developing world today. Just this week we announced DFC’s groundbreaking engagement in Uganda with Opportunity Bank to increase the bank’s lending to refugee businesses and Ugandan host communities by up to $9 million (33 billion UGX). This first-of-its-kind partnership in Africa stands to help 60,000 small enterprises across Uganda access financing. This is one more clear example of how the United States is helping refugees and host communities achieve self-reliance and end dependence on aid,” said the ambassador.
He adds that the United States also continues to actively support exchanges of ideas and people, building on more than 6,000 physical exchange program alumni from Uganda and the United States.
According to Popp, these are opportunities for our respective compatriots to learn from each other, build relationships, and develop networks.
“All of this speaks to our investment in people to live healthy lives, develop skills, and have access to opportunities to raise themselves, their communities, and their nation up. While our efforts incorporate a “whole-of-government” approach, USAID, as our leading development agency, plays a key role in building the path to self-reliance and in evolving our efforts to meet the challenges of our day. In that spirit, I want to thank my colleagues at USAID, current and former, for dedicating their lives to supporting the health and well-being of people around the world. For 63 years globally, and 62 years here in Uganda, USAID has supported the health, education, economic prosperity, and democratic growth of the country. Together with Ugandan partners, USAID is helping to build a stronger, self-reliant Uganda that will ultimately be able to focus its attention on growing investment and trade while health, education, and environmental sustainability are supported by a strong, democratic, and accountable system. This future will be driven by local voices, by people like you in this room who are dedicated to a brighter future for Uganda. And the United States is proud to be working with you. Thank you all for joining us today and for celebrating the important work that USAID has done for 63 years and the strong collaboration between the American and the Ugandan people,” added Popp.
Delivering a speech, USAID Mission Director Daniele Nyirandutiye said: “So tonight, we celebrate USAID’s 63 years as a U.S. government agency dedicated to addressing global challenges that impact the well-being and prosperity of our partner nations. But more importantly, we’re here to celebrate a remarkable relationship that began in 1962, soon after Uganda gained its independence and USAID began its partnership with the Ugandan people.”
“Allow me to reflect a bit on how our agency and our relationship with Uganda have evolved over the years. Early on, with many African countries gaining their independence, USAID’s focus was on building the capacity of the leadership of the newly created nations and supporting economic and social development, including significant investments in agricultural programs and large-scale infrastructure projects. In Uganda, USAID partnered with the
government to build foundational institutions critical to long-term development. From girls’ schools focused on empowering young women to research facilities supporting the agriculture sector to training centers that empowered the country’s future leaders,” said Nyirandutiye.
Today, Nyirandutiye said that the organization provides services in over 300 health facilities and has secured funding from other donors.
“And, in fact, USAID Uganda is a leader among USAID missions around the world in localizing its awards. At USAID, we continue to evolve. Over the years, we have broadened our partnerships. We are increasingly engaging with nontraditional partners—including the international and local private sectors—to expand the possibilities of what we can achieve, as well as with financial institutions to unlock much-needed financing for enterprises.”
Nyirandutiye said USAID’s commitment to partnerships extends beyond just SMEs and includes such partnerships as that with Roke Telecom to expand cellular services in the most remote areas of Uganda, reducing the digital divide and empowering and connecting communities to the world.
“And we also work with local private enterprises, helping them to become investment-ready so they can expand their businesses. Together, we are working to drive economic growth and reinforce Uganda’s path toward self-reliance,” Nyirandutiye encouraging participants to “reflect on how we can deepen our collaboration—not just a collaboration with USAID but with one another.”
