The discussions during the three-day workshop benefited from contributions by senior policymakers and experts, including Fred Bwino Kyakulaga, Uganda’s State Minister for Agriculture, Animal Industry, and Fisheries, Victoria Sekitoleko, former Minister of Agriculture of Uganda, and Rhoda Peace Tumusiime, former Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture at the African Union Commission.
How True Cost Accounting can help design business models that promote more sustainable foods systems
Participants discussed how True Cost Accounting can be used to identify, measure, and potentially internalize social, environmental, or health externalities along agricultural value chains. A particular focus of the discussions was the persistence of hazardous child labor in agricultural production. By making the hidden costs of externalities, such as child labor, visible, True Cost Accounting can support policymakers, businesses, and other actors in designing policies and business models that promote more sustainable and equitable food systems.
Why fair cost-sharing matters for small-holder farmers
The discussions highlighted the importance of fair cost-sharing along value chains. Transitioning to more sustainable production systems often entails additional costs that cannot be borne by smallholder farmers alone. Participants emphasized that downstream actors, including processors, retailers, and consumers, must contribute through improved pricing, contracts, and co-investment in sustainable practices.
Workshop documentation available online
The workshop concluded that addressing the true cost of food is a necessary foundation for building more resilient, equitable, and sustainable export-oriented food systems. The insights and recommendations emerging from the discussions are documented in the workshop proceedings (see below under publication) and aim to inform ongoing policy debates and future research on sustainable agri-food systems.