As is true for various African countries, Uganda’s cotton, textiles and apparel (CTA) sector has been identified as one with great potential. As one of the main sectors to create foreign investment opportunities and employment, the CTA is looking at ways to reconstruct the sector and take full advantage of the US African Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA) through which Uganda’s earnings have been relatively modest so far.

In its third edition, the National Development Plan has ranked the CTA sector as a top priority that is set to launch later this year. Throughout the following months, a comprehensive sector development strategy will be worked out for the cotton value chain.

Due to a various policy and market issues, Uganda hasn’t been able to profit from the AGOA. Within the artisanal crafts and interior décor sector, for example, a low number of products did not make the export worthwhile. In a recent study by Msingi East Africa, it was estimated that, while the global apparel manufacturing market is worth around $785.9 billion in 2018, the CTA’s earnings only saw $22 million in the same year.

With a new strategic plan being put into place, Msingi East Africa and the National Development Plan sector remain positive that Uganda is more than capable of improving the CTA with its production of 185,000 tons of cotton lint on an annual basis.