[{"bbox": [72, 106, 1159, 186], "category": "Text", "text": "The intervention will also contribute to the implementation of the Gender Action Plan (GAP III) 2021-2025 in particular in regards to economic and social rights, to access to jobs and entrepreneurship and to participation to the digital economy."}, {"bbox": [77, 218, 1027, 245], "category": "Text", "text": "It will contribute to SDG 2 (main) with other significant SDGs being 1, 5, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 15, 16 and 17."}, {"bbox": [87, 329, 326, 359], "category": "Section-header", "text": "## 2.2. Problem Analysis"}, {"bbox": [72, 400, 1136, 479], "category": "Text", "text": "By combining interventions in the areas of access to finance/agri-business and land, this action is aiming at addressing 2 key specific problems which are preventing sustainable investments and growth in Uganda, in particular in the agriculture sector:"}, {"bbox": [72, 506, 1136, 1088], "category": "Text", "text": "**Priority 1 - Slow development and weak role played in the economy by the MSME sector:** the MSME sector accounts for approximately 90 % of the entire private sector, over 80 percent of manufactured output and contributes about 75 % to the gross domestic product (GDP). The sector employs more than 2.5 million people equivalent to 90 % of total non-farm sector workers and comprises about 1 100 000 enterprises which makes the sector one of the largest employers in the country³. With most of the MSMEs largely concentrated in the major urban and peri-urban areas of Uganda and relying on rural communities for raw materials, agribusiness MSMEs is pivotal to the growth and transformation of the country to the middle-income status. Agribusiness MSMEs present a sustainable and empowering response to the persistent challenge of unemployment and underemployment in addition to creation of market for primary agricultural products and enabling national economic structural transformation. Yet, these MSMEs face various growth and survival constraints on a number of fronts which undermines their development, thereby limiting their impact on the economy. For many agribusiness MSMEs, growing their business enterprises remains a distant dream, not least because of lack of access to appropriate financing. The current situation is even starker with the COVID-19 pandemic disrupting investment and trade; and impacting on the attainment of the UN 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals. Of particular importance is the fact that many agribusiness MSMEs run by women -one in three businesses is owned by women-face additional challenges, due to the structural barriers related to their social status in society (access to finances, collaterals, productive resources, education,...). Women in particular, rely on informal⁴ and agricultural trade, both seriously affected by the pandemic. While women's businesses tend to be smaller (profits that are on average 30 % less than those for male-owned businesses), there is a need to provide skills training and to support women's innovation potential, access to credit and markets by targeting women who have the potential to grow their business.⁵ In addition, the inclusion of vulnerable groups such as refugees in job creation and growth is a struggle that requires incorporating a vulnerability lens in the work to be done with MSMEs."}, {"bbox": [72, 1089, 975, 1115], "category": "Text", "text": "Some of the main stakeholders involved in this action and contributing in solving this problem are:"}, {"bbox": [72, 1142, 1136, 1301], "category": "Text", "text": "Private Sector Foundation of Uganda (PSFU) is Uganda's apex body for the private sector. It is made up of over 200 business associations, corporate bodies and the major public sector agencies that support private sector growth. Since its founding in 1995, PSFU has served as a focal point for private sector advocacy as well as capacity building and continues to sustain a positive policy dialogue with Government on behalf of the private sector. PSFU aims to strengthen Private Sector capacity for effective policy advocacy and market competitiveness nationally, regionally and internationally."}, {"bbox": [72, 1328, 1136, 1406], "category": "Text", "text": "Financial Institutions (Uganda Development Bank, Post Bank Uganda Limited etc.): Through partnership with selected DFIs and FIs, the project will unlock financing for MSMEs. They will indeed provide the necessary financing to MSMEs."}, {"bbox": [72, 1433, 1136, 1539], "category": "Text", "text": "**Priority 2 - Conflicts around private Mailo land in Central Uganda:** Private Mailo land faces the challenge of dual land rights which generates uncertainty and conflicts which have been exacerbated by climate change effects. This poses important social and economic risks as Mailo Land is located in the most fertile part of Uganda. Despite the achievements reached under the first phase of this programme (in particular, the documentation of more than 77 000"}, {"bbox": [72, 1567, 1054, 1592], "category": "Footnote", "text": "³ Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives (2015). Uganda Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) Policy."}, {"bbox": [72, 1591, 982, 1615], "category": "Footnote", "text": "⁴ only 13.8% of working women are in formal employment, compared to 27.9% of working men, UBOS 2013"}, {"bbox": [72, 1615, 998, 1639], "category": "Footnote", "text": "⁵ https://blogs.worldbank.org/nasikiliza/opportunities-ugandan-womens-economic-empowerment-during-covid-19-recovery"}, {"bbox": [1051, 1664, 1158, 1686], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "Page 6 of 27"}]